The Point of No Return
by Mintobrandybuck
Summary: Christine was a normal person. Normal, that is, until the day she became the victim of the sick experiments of a company called Beyond, inc. Now, she faces a huge dilema: How will she survive her new life as an Eevee? COMPLETE!
1. My name is Christine

I always loved the city. The sights, the smells, the sounds. I always would visit the park with my beloved fiancé Eddie. It was a magnificent city, filled with towering buildings as far as the eye could see. In short, it was quite a sight.

Unfortunately, I didn't have the time to enjoy any of it.

I was running like mad down the street. I couldn't remember this particular part of the city; everything looked so much bigger. I was lost, my legs were aching, and my lungs were threatening to burst. But I couldn't stop. I dared a quick glance to behind me to see if I had shaken my pursuers. Two Houndours, led by a tall Houndoom, were after me, the lust for blood glinting in their eyes. I sped up, tearing around a corner leading down a short alley.

Which was a dead end.

I frantically looked around for an escape when I heard a low, growling chuckle from behind me. I whipped around, fearing the worst.

"Well, well…look what we've got here. A little pretty." growled the Houndoom, slowly advancing towards me. The two Houndours trailed closely behind, grinning and panting in some sort of mad anticipation. I backed up slowly, feeling the deep-seated panic rise up within me, until I hit a wall.

"Let's have a little fun." said the Houndoom, licking his chops and grinning wildly. The two lackeys cackled madly, closing in the gap in either side of their leader.

I couldn't help myself. I fainted.

----------

My name is Christine.

I think.

My life is a car wreak right now; I can't think clearly. You see, I'm a human…well, sort of, I guess. It's complicated. I guess it's best I start at the beginning.

You see, I received a letter from my fiancé, Eddie, about two weeks ago telling me to meet him at the headquarters f a company called 'Beyond', located at the outskirts of town. It said he had a surprise for me. So, like the naïve person I was, I went. So the next day I stepped inside the large, gray building and asked the secretary about Eddie. I was told to wait, so I patiently sat on an old couch by the far wall.

I hate waiting. I always have. So I soon grew restless. I was about to ask what the holdup was, when I heard a voice shouting from behind a door. A familiar voice.

Eddie's voice.

I stood up quickly and rushed for the door, only to be stopped when I was grabbed roughly from behind by two men in white lab coats. I didn't hear what they said, but it sounded along the lines of, "Take her."

Everything went black.

Details at this point become a bit vague. Or perhaps my brain doesn't want me to remember. All I remember is being the subject of some sort of experiment that day. The details haunt me in my sleep, ever since my escape from that horrible building not three days ago. And I already find myself up to my head in trouble. But there was one major problem I faced now: the results of the whitecoat's sick experiment.

I'm an Eevee.


	2. No love for me

**Author's Note: Sorry for the length, people! The first couple of chapters may be a bit short, but please bear with me! There's plenty more story to come!**

_Strange images flashed in my mind._

_I was in a large pod, floating in an unfamiliar orange liquid. A sudden burst of pain coursing throughout my body made me cry out, but to no avail. There were sickening sounds as my bones shifted and shrunk and brown fur burst from every pore. I looked up. A group of whitecoats was there, cheering. I saw my reflection in the glass; a disfigured, twisted reflection._

_I screamed._

I woke with a start. I lay there gasping, trying to take in my surroundings.

Oh, right. The alley.

The Houndoom had disappeared, along with his lackeys. Judging by the cool darkness I felt around me, I had been out cold for a few hours at least. I took a deep breath, taking in the smell of the fall evening, but quickly wrinkled my nose in disgust. The smell of sweat, blood, and what I identified as seminal fluid lingered in the air. It made me more nervous. What had happened while I was unconscious? That's when I noticed the pain and the slow trickle of blood coming from between my legs. The realization hit me like a ton of bricks.

Those bullies had raped me while I was out like a light. I could barely believe it. The depth of the situation just went right over my head. I couldn't stop the tears from coming as I slowly stood up. I stood wobbling for a second before one of my back legs gave way beneath me. A sharp pain shot through my leg as I landed on it, and upon closer inspection I found a patch of fur matted with blood on the back left one.

One of the bullies had left me a souvenir, it seemed. I sat there a moment, crying, before I stood up again and half-dragged/half-limped my way back into town.

It didn't get much better there.

By the time I reached the main residential area, most people were headed home. I crawled over to a man standing a few feet away. I tried to get his attention by crying out, but all that came out was a weak, pathetic "Vee…". The man looked down, his face twisting in disgust.

"Shoo." He said, waving his arms. I tried again, with the same results, but the man just sighed and crossed over to the far side of the street. Everyone else I tried to get help from yielded similar results. Most people shied away from me or pretended not to notice. Those who didn't simply gave me a look of sympathy and went back to their work.

There was no love for the poor, half-dead Eevee, it seemed. Life was so unfair.

Then, of course, it started to rain.

Cold, wet, and tired, I crawled down the nearest side alley. I found a small cardboard box there and, happy for some protection from the rain and increasing darkness, I curled up beneath the makeshift shelter and cried myself to sleep.


	3. Hard Times

**A/N: Alright, then! Now we're getting to the longer chapters! Woot!**

**Alright, then. Chapter 3! Enjoy.**

_I clenched my teeth through the pain. I tried to cry out as fur erupted through every pore on my body, but no sound came out. The pain was so unbearable, I was practically begging for death right there. The only thing I heard was the whitecoats cheering and congratulating each other as my transformation completed. Couldn't they see I was in pain? Couldn't they sense my hurt? _

_Wait…was that a sob just now, coming from the throng of scientists?_

I opened my eyes a crack, almost panicking when I couldn't remember where I was. I stood up too quickly and knocked over the box.

I really missed my bed.

"Ooh.." I murmured, rubbing my head. I looked around groggily, yawning. My stomach growled; I remembered I hadn't eaten in more than a day. I crawled from the bow warily, testing out my hurt leg. Once I was satisfied with its stability, I looked up and noticed a trash can. The strangest thoughts filled my head; I tried to push them away.

Take it from me when I say that thinking about scrounging through the garbage for food makes you feel you've lost all sense of humanity. But, I digress.

I sucked up my pride and was peering into the garbage can when a Zigzagoon popped up, startling me.

"Hey!" he shouted as I fell backwards onto my rear. "Get your own!" All I could d was grin at him apologetically.

"Sorry…I haven't eaten in a while." I was hoping he would be kind enough to share, but he just rolled his eyes.

"Don't let it happen again." He growled, turning back to his meal. I sighed, heading out of the alley and down the street. Suddenly, I felt my new sensitive nose twitch. There was a heavenly smell wafting in the air. Out of curiosity, I followed the scent down the street, coming to a stop at a cart where a large man was selling hot dogs. At that moment, I wanted nothing more than a few dollars.

Oh, and to be human.

I sighed again, wondering if there was a way I could sneak one.

"Mommy, look!" I heard the voice behind me and felt a hand start scratching my head. It felt sooo good. I had started to purr without realizing it. I looked up to see a young girl, maybe 5 or 6 of age, smiling down at me. A woman walked up and grabbed the girl away.

"Laura!" Stop that, you don't know where it's been!"

"But, mom!" the girl complained, "She looks so sad and lonely!" At least someone cared about me.

"No." the woman huffed, pulling the still struggling girl away. "We need to go meet your father." The woman led Laura into the park, the girl squirming wildly to get out of her mother's grasp.

Huh. I hadn't even noticed the park. I smiled in spite of myself. Eddie and I visited here all the time to watch the sunset, or play catch with Eddie's Aipom, or even just to enjoy the performers, players, and picnickers. Wait…picnickers? I looked again and saw several families spread out on checkered blankets, laughing and eating.

Hello.

My hunger bested my conscience as I crept up to the closest family. The smell of food, combined with my hunger, overpowered my common sense. I snuck up quietly and dug my nose into the wicker basket, eager to claim my prize. I had just gotten hold of a sandwich when a rock clunked me in the head. I jumped back, more surprised than hurt.

"Get lost!" one of the picnickers shouted, glaring at me. Oh, well. It was worth a try.

Figuring I wouldn't fare any better with the rest of the picnickers. I walked back towards the sidewalk, slumping against a bench with a soft whimper. A man being lead by a Growlithe on a leash sat down on the bench and looked down at me.

"Hello there, little one." he said, scratching my head and setting a package down on the ground. I looked up at his kind face, smiling from behind a bushy white mustache and dark sunglasses. Something in my head clicked. Being lead by a Growlithe…wearing sunglasses…he must've been blind, I decided. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. I looked down and realized the package the man set down was a sandwich wrapped in rice paper. A thought flashed through my head. _It would be so easy to take it…_

I looked back to the man, who was now talking to a young woman, then back to the sandwich. The Growlithe noticed this and eyed me warily from his spot by the older man's feet. I knew I was going to hate myself after doing it, but I made my move. I grabbed the package in my mouth and ran back in the direction of my alley. I heard a shout, probably the woman, and a loud bark. I looked behind me to find the Growlithe giving chase.

Déjà vu, huh?

I tore down the street, my injured leg burning.

"You! Stop!" I heard the Growlithe shout. All the more incentive to run.

I quickly turned the corner and ducked into my alley, pressing myself against the wall. To my relief, the Growlithe ran right past without noticing me. I gave a weary sigh and curled up inside my box.

"That doesn't belong to you." I squealed and gave a jump; the voice surprised me. I turned and saw the Growlithe glaring down, looking unamused. I tried to say something, but I still only had the strength to whine pathetically. After a moment, the Growlithe sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Fine." He growled, obviously out of pity. "Just don't let me catch you around there again." I nodded quickly and he left. I tore open the package and ate the sandwich ravenously, but the guilt of what I had done to obtain it made it taste horrible.

I fell asleep feeling worse than I had this morning.


	4. Things are looking up?

**A/N: Umm...not much to say here, except PLEASE REVIEW! Do feel obligated or anything, but reviews will really help me work on getting more of the story out.**

**So, umm...that's about it. Enjoy!**

_The whitecoats were cheering, but amidst the noise I heard a sob. I was sure of it this time. I cracked my eye open an inch, but the light caused another explosion of pain inside my head. In that moment, however, I saw someone walking out the door, tears streaming down his face. It was him. He was the one sobbing. But who was it? He turned to face my pod-_

I woke up even more confused than ever. My dreams were becoming progressively more detailed.

I shook the feeling off and decided to walk down to the park again. It couldn't hurt, right? I said good morning to the hungry Zigzagoon as I passed his trash can. I walked down the street, taking in the city. It was a beautiful, sunny day, and things were finally looking up, for the first time since that fateful day. I smiled. Nothing could bring me down.

At the park, I plopped down in the shade of a large (was it really large or did it just seem that way because I shrunk?) tree. I noticed an apple lay at my feet. I looked around, then, realizing I was hungry again, ate it quickly. I looked up and saw some more apples hanging from a low branch, just outside my reach. My stomach growled, so I decided to satisfy it. I took a few steps back and ran forward, throwing my weight against the tree.

Nothing happened.

I tried again, but no luck. I sighed and looked around for something to knock an apple from the tree. The blind man and the young woman were back; the Growlithe gave me a warning glance. I smiled sheepishly and moved around to the other side of the tree. I tried to knock down the apple again. This time, it swung a little bit. I could tell it was barely hanging on, but I still needed more weight.

"Let me help, friend." said a voice behind me. Before I got a chance to look to see who it was, there was a loud _CRACK_ and the apple fell to the ground in front of me. I smiled up at the stranger, but it quickly faded.

It was Houndoom. He grinned at me.

"Aren't you going to thank me?" he asked innocently.

"Why would I do that?" I spat back at him. He pretended to look hurt.

"I thought you would be a bit nicer to your mate." He huffed. The word rang through my head, I glared at him. This guy made my skin crawl.

"You're nothing of the sort." I insisted. He chuckled.

"I beg to differ, my pretty. You, my dear, carry my seed." He smiled, leaning in closer. "Speaking of which, you should come with me. Should you be pregnant, I want nothing to harm my child." In response, I jumped up and bit his leg. He yelped, throwing me off. I regained my composure and took off down the street, with the angry Houndoom in pursuit. This has been happening a lot lately, hasn't it?

"Get back here, you insolent _wench_!" he shouted. I saw him lower his head, charging at me horns-first. I tried to pick up speed, but my injured leg was burning; the gash had reopened when Houndoom threw me. I charged around a corner, in hopes of losing him, to find…

A dead end. I hated this city.

I quickly turned around to run back the other way, when _BAM_! Houndoom hit me dead-on with his horns, sending me into a wall. I heard something crack on impact. So much for not endangering his child. As I slumped to the ground, I found I couldn't move or turn my head, and each breath was getting harder and more painful to take. Houndoom leaned in close, his face in front of mine.

" I had no intentions of hurting you," his words rang in my ears, making my head ache. "But, you're coming with me, whether you like it or not." Great. That made me feel better. Houndoom looked thoughtful for a moment, then grinned horribly.

"After…I've had my way with you one more time." He chuckled.

Panic instantly flooded away all my other senses. I tried to screm in protest as he left my field of vision, but nothing came out. I was helpless.

"Blaze, flamethrower!" The shout came just as I felt Houndoom positioning himself behind me. Houndoom yelped as a ball of fire hit him square in the chest, knocking him onto his back and singeing my fur. He got up, growling, and ran off. Two pairs of feet entered my view, and as all the colors ran together and the sounds grew muffled, I heard a voice, probably a woman's cry out as two soft hands gingerly lifted me up.

"Dad, call the Pokemon center! She's hurt!"

Great. This day just couldn't get any better.

----------

_It was all the same as before. The pain, the screaming, the cheering, the sobbing, and the man leaving. But…who was he? I had to find out. The crying man seemed familiar._

_No…it couldn't be him, could it?_

I opened my eyes a bit, bracing myself for a burst of pain, but none came. Instead, a tired-looking Growlithe filled my vision. I recognized him as the same one from the park. He noticed my movement and sat up, calling out the door behind him,

"Hey! She's awake!" he looked back at me and sighed. I blinked, confused. I tried to stand up, only to find I was firmly tucked into an incredibly comfortable bed. The Growlithe frowned.

"Don't try to get up. Just rest." He sounded much kinder than before, and on top of that he looked genuinely concerned. I opened my mouth to say something, but he interrupted.

"Don't talk, either. When Houndoom tackled you, the impact broke two of your ribs. One of them punctured your lung. I'm sure you have plenty to say, but it can wait." At that moment, a young woman with dark hair and a kind face ran into the room. Her eyes were bloodshot as if she had been crying.

"What is it Blaze?" she asked the Growlithe. When she looked up and saw me, a look of relief washed over her face. "Oh, she's awake! Dad, come quick!" she called out the door.

A few moments later, the blind old man I saw at the park entered, led by a long wooden cane. The young woman must've been his daughter. I remembered she was always talking to the man at the park.

"What's the matter, Isabel?" asked the man.

"The Eevee's awake, Dad." The woman, Isabel, said, guiding her father's hand to my head. Isabel looked to be in her late twenties. She always seemed to be wearing a warm smile.

"That's wonderful!" the man proclaimed, scratching my head. "You gave us quite the scare, little on. The nurse said you may not have made it." he added to me.

"I'm going to the Pokemon Center." announced Isabel. "We need some new bandages." The man stood up.

"I'll come with. I need to talk to Jenny about putting up some lost and found posters." He turned to the Growlithe. "Stay here and watch her, got it, Blaze?" The Growlithe barked his agreement. Isabel guided her father out.

"Are they mad at me for the other day?" I said a few moments after we heard the front door close. It was hard to talk, and my words were barely audible. Blaze shot me a look as if to scold me for speaking, but shook his head.

"Sam is very forgiving. He couldn't stay mad at you." He explained when he saw my confused look. "Samuel is my master. I'm his eyes, he says. He lives here with his daughter Isabel, who's training to be a nurse." I nodded and tried to reply, but it came out as a hacking cough.

"Careful." Blaze warned. "Houndoom really took a number on you. You should get some rest." He started walking out the door, but stopped and turned around.

"Sorry, my name's Blaze, as you can tell. May I ask yours? If you can talk, that is." I grinned.

"I'm Christine." I said with some difficulty. Blaze nodded.

"Sleep well, Christine."


	5. We all saw this coming

**A/N: I just want to give a quick thanks to all my readers out there! But, I ask that you review, please! I'd like to know your input! With your help, I can improve and do better in my writing!**

**So, please! Take just a thirty seconds out of your busy day and tell me what you think! I'd be greatly appreciated!**

Over the next couple of days, my strength began to return. Occasionally Blaze would visit me in the guest room (the room I was staying in, apparently) and tell me stories or other interesting things about the family. He had apparently lost his mate in the same accident that took his master's eyesight.

"We all lost and gained something that day." Blaze said with a sad look of longing.

By the fourth day there, I was well enough to walk around. It was fun spending time exploring Isabel's fair-sized house, which was located on a lake on the far side of town, about 20 minutes from the park. A part of feeling better, however, was getting my bed moved from the guest room to a small, round bed in the living room near Blaze's larger one. I didn't mind, though. I liked sleeping next to Blaze, who turned out to be very kind and considerate. I never would've guessed from our first encounter. Since I felt better, Isabel and Sam allowed me to join them and Blaze for dinner. At first the thought of eating Pokechow was unsettling, but I was pleased to find that Pokemon in the house ate the same food as the rest of the family.

Family. I absolutely loved the word. Nothing made me feel more secure than knowing I belonged somewhere, even if it was with some family I barely knew. But getting comfortable like this made me fell…uneasy. I don't know why. Maybe I knew in my heart that I shouldn't be here, living the good life, and instead be off finding a way to reverse this situation. The thought troubled me for several days. I decided I should talk to someone about it. So, on the seventh night, after one whole week of staying with this wonderful family, I made up my mind to talk to Blaze. As we curled up in our beds, I looked at him and said,

"I wish I could tell Isabel and Sam how grateful I am." Blaze just smiled at me.

"I'm sure they know. In return, they're planning on keeping you. Would you be alright with that?" My head was screaming _NO!_ but my heart felt otherwise.

"Of course!" I said, nodding. The decision made me feel weird inside, but I ignored it. "You've been really great, too. Thank you." Blaze chuckled.

"Don't mention it. Just be glad we showed up when we did. Houndoom is horrible; more so during mating season. Oh, especially when he finds a young female in heat, like yourself." he said, which made me blush furiously. I was in heat? How could he tell? I guess I will never get used to being a Pokemon.

"I saw him chasing after you, so I followed," Blaze continued, looking up at the ceiling.

"We arrived just in time, it seems. We stopped him just as he was about to mate with you." He chuckled again. "That would've been bad, don't you think?" I couldn't answer him. I had completely frozen with panic. It makes sense that they wouldn't know about Houndoom raping me; it happened before I met them.

"Err…yeah. Just in time." I muttered. How could I tell them? I knew I wouldn't be able to hide it for long, especially if I really was pregnant. I could already tell this would end in disaster.

----------

A week later, my nightmares suddenly decided to confirm my worst fears.

_Nothing had changed about the dream. It was all the same as before, but now I could see the sobbing man's face clearly. Before he left, he looked back one last time at me. I couldn't believe it._

_It was Eddie._

_My fiancé. Did he know about all this? Why didn't he try to stop it? I cried out his name in anguish, but nothing could be heard. I felt the world grow hot, the pain intensifying as her left the mob of celebrating whitecoats. The pain was so much; it felt so real! I whimpered, wanting it to just end, while a muffled voice spoke urgently beyond the noise of the room._

"_Christine, are you okay?"_

I snapped my eyes open, an action which caused my head to throb. I opened them again, slowly this time, to find a very worried-looking Blaze licking my forehead.

"Blaze? What are you doing?" I asked him quietly. He looked surprised at my response, but quickly asked,

"Are you feeling alright, Christine?" I nodded, just a bit confused.

"You where whimpering and holding you stomach in your sleep." He explained, relaxing a little but still looking concerned. Now that he mentioned it, my stomach did hurt a little. Or a lot.

Yeah, make that a lot.

I wasn't prepared for the sudden, large burst of pain in the pit of my stomach. I doubled over, writhing in my bed. I felt the bile rising in my throat, so I turned my head and vomited on the floor behind me, then curled back up into a ball and started rocking back and forth, whimpering.

"Stay here! I'll go get help." I heard Blaze say as he ran off barking. I laid there for a few moments before Blaze returned with Isabel.

"Oh, no…this isn't good." She muttered, wrapping me in a blanket and picking me up gently. "Blaze, stay here with Dad. I'll call from the Pokemon Center in a few hours." I heard her close the door and start running down the street.

"I wish I could help, Eevee." She said softly, looking down at me, "Looks like we didn't arrive in time, after all." I realized that she would be the first to put two and two together, her being a nurse and all. Isabel said nothing else until we reached the Pokemon Center 10 minutes later. She swung open the doors and ran up to the counter.

"Nurse Joy." Isabel said, getting the nurse's attention. She muttered something to her; Joy nodded. Isabel then handed me to Nurse Joy, scratching my head and saying,

"Don't worry, little on. They just want to run a quick test on you. I'll be right here the whole time, okay?" She smiled and nodded reassuringly. I gave a small nod to show her I would be okay. Nurse Joy carried me into an exam room, setting me down on the hard table. She pulled out a syringe from a drawer and injected a strange liquid into my arm, all the while telling me I was going to be okay. Before I knew it, I slipped into unconsciousness.

----------

The soft light that shone through the windows as I woke up led me to conclude it was probably late afternoon. I was in a small, sterile-smelling room, lying in a soft white bed. Nurse Joy was standing just outside the open door, saying something to Isabel and Sam, with Blaze at Sam's feet. Isabel had her head lowered and looked like she was crying softly. Blaze sighed, and then headed into the room, shaking his head. He hopped up onto a chair next to the bed and looked at me with his tired, sad eyes.

"Is it really that bad?" I asked quietly. I calmed a bit when Blaze shook his head slowly. "Did they find out what's wrong?" Blaze let out another sigh, and looked as if he couldn't find the words to say.

"Nurse Joy says what you felt is normal," he said slowly, choosing each word carefully. "It's…err…morning sickness. You're pregnant." He looked over to Sam, who was now comforting Isabel outside the doorway.

"She's taking it hard," he continued, still not daring to look me in the face, "She thought we saved you in time. I guess not." His voice trailed of sadly. The amount of concern in his voice was almost enough to make me cry. I put a paw on his shoulder.

"There's nothing you could've done." I said, "He had already…done it a few days before you guys saved me." It was hard to get the words out, but it felt good to comfort him. I tried to smile to cheer him up, but he shook his head.

"It's unforgivable." he said as Isabel came into the room. She picked me up carefully in a warm embrace.

"We're all so sorry, Eevee," she muttered, "I thought we got there soon enough." She lifted me up so we were facing eye-to-eye. "Do you forgive us?"

There was nothing to forgive. Even though I knew she wouldn't understand me, I nodded.

"How could I not?" I said. Isabel smiled.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'." She sniffed. "And don't think you'll be alone. We're behind you all the way…assuming you'd like to stay with us." I nodded again.

"Good." Isabel smiled, hugging me again. "Let's go home."


	6. Troubled Pregnancy

**A/N: Hey, everyone. I just have a few things to say, then you can get to reading.**

**First of all, thank you all for reading! I'm pleased with the numbr of people who read this, my first fic! But, I know I've said this before, but I'll say it again. PLEASE REVIEW! I'd really like your input!**

**Umm...what else...Oh, yeah! With classes starting again, chapters will be coming a bit slower, I'm sorry to say. But don't worry, I won't disappoint you. Alright, on with the show!**

_PREGNANT!?_

The total depth of the situation didn't hit me until the next day. I couldn't believe it. Was it even possible? I mean, we were completely different species! I didn't really understand how Houndoom could've gotten me pregnant until I overheard Isabel explaining about how Pokemon mating works to Sam. Apparently, if two Pokemon are in the same what Pokemon breeders call "egg group", they could have children. And I was, unfortunately, in the same "egg group" as Houndoom.

The following weeks were fairly uneventful. Nurse Joy said I was about two weeks into my nine-week pregnancy. Isabel made me rest for a few days before she was convinced by Sam that I would be fine.

So, life went on as usual. Most days Sam was gone on business, bringing Blaze with him. As time went on, I could feel the effects of the pregnancy worsening. I would randomly go from over-the-top cheerful to furious to depressed and back to happy at the drop of a pin. Mornings were especially bad; quite often I wouldn't be able to move for several hours because I felt so sick. I could feel the new life in my stomach beginning to weigh me down. Isabel didn't want to leave me alone, so she took a few weeks off from her training at the Pokemon Center. We mostly sat around talking, playing, and occasionally cleaning. I enjoyed the time we shred together. She was funny and kind and just plain fun to be around. And she was really supportive of me, too.

"Have you decided on names for the kits yet?" she asked me one day as I helped her bake cookies. Since I had started living with Isabel, I had found a new love for cookies. I don't know how she did it, but Isabel's cookies were ungodly. She shook her head and she thought for a moment then something struck her.

"Oh, my goodness! You're an official part of this family, and you don't have a name yet! Well, we'll have to fix that." She lifted me off the floor and placed me on the countertop.

"Let's see…" she said, thinking. "How about…Lara?" I shook my head.

"Amy?" I shook my head again.

"Lucky?" Hah, I wish. No.

"What about Picky?" I rolled my eyes. The list went on for almost half an hour.

"I don't know…" Isabel gave an exasperated sigh, plopping into a chair. "What about…Cici?"

Eh, it would do for now. I nodded and her spirits instantly rose.

"Great!" she said, smiling at me. "So, Cici, let's get these cookies in the oven."

I loved living here. It was the first time in a long while that I felt like actually belonged somewhere.

----------

A few days before I was due to give birth, Isabel made an announcement at breakfast.

"Let's go to the park today. I'm sure we could all use some rest, and Cici should get some fresh air." It was true. This past week has been hectic in preparation of my soon-to-be kits. Sam nodded in agreement, and Blaze barked, wagging his tail happily. I just smiled. Something was bothering me. I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. I thought life couldn't get much worse.

Boy, was I ever wrong.

We ended up having a good time. The four of us walked down to the park and ate the big lunch Isabel had packed for us. Afterwards, Isabel and I relaxed and watched Blaze retrieve a frizbee thrown by Sam. I hate sitting still, so it was no surprise that I soon grew bored of laying on the blanket and joined in on the game, even thought there was no way I could possibly keep up with Blaze. Blaze must have noticed me struggling because he began to run slower and eventually, when Sam threw the frizbee, he sat down and gestured for me to go get it. The frizbee flew right over a small stone wall surrounding the perimeter of the park. I groaned and ran around the wall.

Right into Houndoom's face. Typical.

"Well, look who came running back." he said. Couldn't this guy ever leave me alone? Something glinted in his eyes. I tried to run away, but I couldn't move. He had me in the paralyzing affects of a Glare. He chuckled and began to pace in front of me, not breaking eye contact. I was trapped.

"Oh!" he said happily. "I see you're carrying my children. By now they must be near birth, eh?" He chuckled. I wanted to scream, but I was still unable to move.

"Now," he continued, "You're coming with me. I wouldn't want to miss the birth of my own children." He licked the side of my face; I wanted to vomit.

"Where is she?" I heard Isabel's voice on the other side of the wall. "Can she not find the frizbee?" There was a loud, alarmed bark I recognized to be Blaze's.

"Damn…" Houndoom growled, grabbing me roughly by the scruff of the neck. I heard Sam and Isabel shouting as the chased Houndoom down the road. The street opened up into a small courtyard with a shallow pond and worn-down shed, all surrounded by a tall chain fence. Houndoom saw his chance and took it. He hopped up onto the shed and leaped over the fence, landing hard on the other side.

"Don't worry, I'll take good are of her!" he shouted back at Blaze before taking of again. The last thing I heard were Blaze's desperate howls and Isabel's cries, and I couldn't even cry myself.

----------

I awoke the next morning, seemingly dumped unceremoniously in the corner of an old, abandoned building. Houndoom had run throughout the city for the greater part of the day, finally stopping just as the sun was setting.

"You're awake." growled Houndoom, walking over and sitting down in front of me.

"You…you're a monster." I managed to say. He grinned.

"And now you get the satisfaction of knowing you'll never be anything other than the mother of a monster's children." His words stung. It made me worry what he planned to do with me after I gave birth. I was so deep in thought, I didn't even notice the sly grin dominate Houndoom's face.

"Say…I still haven't gotten to have my way with you again." He chuckled, moving around behind me and positioning himself.

This was absolute horror. And the worst part is I would be conscious this time. With the last bit of energy I had left, even thought I knew it would be useless, I screamed. I screamed, hoping desperately that someone would hear. I screamed for all the pain I had gone through in the past two and a half months. I screamed for Blaze, or for Isabel, or for Sam, or Eddie, or _anybody_ to get me out of this nightmare.

----------

**Blaze's PoV**

We spent the remainder of the day trying to find where Houndoom had brought Christine.

No dice.

We returned home late in the day. Isabel had been crying all day, so she fell asleep exhausted almost instantly. Sam sat on the couch for a long while, a concerned look plastered all over his face. I couldn't stop thinking about her, either. I couldn't except that she was actually gone. Just before I fell asleep, I thought out to her, _Just hang in there, Christine. We're going to find you._

The next morning we all ate quickly and went out searching again. We had no luck until late morning, when we decided to take a break. My sensitive ears picked up a faint noise.

"…Vee!" It made me jump up quickly. Isabel raised an eyebrow at me.

"What is it Blaze? Do you hear something?" she asked excitedly. I nodded and ran in the direction of the sound, with Isabel and Sam right behind me. A few minutes of following my ears led us to a stop in front of an old, two-story apartment building. Sam gasped.

"I can hear the little one! She sounds like she's in pain." He turned to Isabel. "You don't think-"

"Let's hope not." replied a stern-looking Isabel. "Any sexual contact at this point in her pregnancy could harm her kits." We dashed through the front door and up the stairs, following Christine's cries, which had been reduced to no more than soft whimpers. We found the origin of the noise on the second floor, crashing through the old wooden door.

"Blaze, flamethrower!" Sam cried. I felt the heat rise up in my chest as I launched a big fireball at Houndoom, knocking him onto his side. He recovered quicker than I thought he would and disappeared, hitting me from behind with a Faint Attack. I toppled over and he lunged at my neck, but I jumped out of the way with centimeters to spare.

"Fire Blast!" Sam shouted. An enormous heat rose within me, threatening to burst. I launched a giant, man-shaped wave of fire at Houndoom, effectively knocking him into the far wall, below the window.

"Take Down!" my master shouted. I charged at Houndoom full-speed, sending him out the window with a yelp. I heard a sickening crunch and a yelp when Houndoom collided with the ground. I grinned, but quickly remembered what we had come for. I began to search the room frantically when I noticed Isabel clutching a sobbing and Convulsing Christine.

"Cici's going into labor." Isabel said with urgency. "We need to get her to the Pokemon Center, now!"

**A/N: Ooh, cliffhangers. Stay tuned! **

**...also, REVIEW!**


	7. Motherhood is overrated

**A/N: Sorry for the delay, people. I'll be trying to get a new chapter every two or three days, but with the new trimester starting, that may be a bit hard. Anyhoo, enjoy the story, please review, blah, blah, blah, you know the rest.**

**Blaze's PoV**

Poor Christine had a rough delivery. I, being male, will never truly know the difficulty of birth, but I think I have a pretty good idea. For over an hour she laid on the bed, her breath coming in rough gasps in between screams.

We had run her as fast as we could, but it still took almost twenty minutes to arrive, in which time Christine was writhing and moaning in pain. She was trying to be strong once we arrived, and you could tell that, especially during contractions, she was trying to hold back her screams. I watched from the corner while Isabel sat right beside her, holding her hand and comforting her softly. I wished I could do something, but Isabel had told me to stay back. Besides, I didn't dare go near her. What I'm sure Isabel and Sam took as gentle moaning coming from her was actually her cursing everyone around her under her breath.

With each small, mostly hairless kit that was delivered safely, Nurse Joy smiled at Christine and reassured her. Christine hung in there until the end, when the fifth kit was delivered, and Nurse Joy smiled.

"Alright, we're all finished here. I'll jus bring the kits into the next room over." She picked up the small stretcher which held the kits and carried it away. I noticed her face suddenly turn grim as she turned outside the doorway. Christine gave an exhausted sigh and fell asleep instantly. I followed out the door after Joy, leaving Isabel gently stroking Christine's head and murmuring softly. In the next room, I heard Joy speaking quietly with Sam.

"…think Houndoom did violate her like you said. We've already lost two of the kits." I stopped abruptly. Two of them…died? There was a sigh, then, "it's a wonder in itself that Cici made it through. She lost so much blood during the delivery; I was beginning to have my doubts." The two went on talking, but my ears didn't comprehend what they said. I felt sick. The kits were the only positive outcome of Christine's situation, and Houndoom took that away, too! I turned and headed back to Christine's room. How would she take the news? When I reached Christine's door, I found it was locked. Isabel was singing a lullaby to Christine inside. I yawned, realizing how tired I was. I laid down outside her door, resolving to talk to her after I took a nap.

----------

It was nighttime when I woke up. I assumed Sam and Isabel were sleeping here for the night. My ears perked up at a noise. Christine's door was open ajar; I could hear a muffled sound coming from within. I pushed open the door with my nose and walked over to the bed. Christine was curled up on the mattress, crying into a pillow.

"…You already heard?" I asked her softly. She nodded without looking up. I crawled up onto the bad and lay down beside her. She curled up next to me, crying into my chest.

"It's okay…" I cooed. "Everything will be okay…" She cried herself to sleep. I joined her soon after.

----------

**Christine's PoV**

Three days later, I was allowed to check out with my three healthy, normal-looking (with the exception of one, whose fur was black) kits. Isabel helped me take care of them, but I was surprised when most of the time I could take care of them myself. My transformation must've given me a maternal instinct.

"Have you named them yet?" Isabel asked pleasantly one morning as I suckled the kits. Everyone had been acting cheerful in an attempt to cheer me up after the burial of the two dead kits. My dead kits. My babies.

I wish I had helped kill Houndoom, for everything that bastard put me through.

I shook my head at Isabel and want back to work cleaning the kit closest to me.

"We should fix that." Isabel picked up one of the tiny kits, and then looked back down to me. "May I have the honor?" I nodded. Isabel smiled.

"Let's see…" she said thoughtfully, looking the kit, one of the girls, over. "How about Rose?" The kits squeaked in her hands. "I think she likes it!" Isabel giggled. I smiled as Isabel set the kit back down.

"May I?" asked Sam.

"Sure." I replied, knowing he wouldn't be able to see me nod. The old man slowly guided his hand along my side until he felt on of the kits. He picked her up gently before asking Isabel,

"Is this little one a girl or boy?"

"A girl, Dad." Sam nodded, thinking. The kit gave a squeak, trying to squirm away from him.

"Lucia." He said finally. The kit yipped. Isabel took Lucia from him and set her down by me.

"You should name the last one, Cici." Isabel said. I looked at the last kit, the boy, suckling at my breast. I looked at his jet black fur, and eternal reminder of Houndoom, and didn't need a second thought.

"Shadow." I said. He mewed noisily, annoyed that I interrupted his meal.

"Very fitting." said Blaze, nodding sagely.

----------

A week passed; the kits were tireless. From the rambunctious Shadow, to the endless curiosity of Rose, to the clinging adoration of Lucia, I'm surprised I ever found time to rest. I constantly found myself running from my bed in the living room to their bed in the spare room just off mine, leaving me exhausted. But it was fun. A challenge.

Roughly two and a half weeks after I checked out, the kits now had all their fur and were incredible insomniacs. I woke up that night to, not surprisingly, the kittens mewing. I stood up and shivered, hoping that this phase didn't last much longer.

Wait.

Why was it so cold? I looked over to the window; it was wide open. Something was wrong. The kits squealed again, and my parental instinct kicked in instantly. I charged through the door to the side room, and guess what I find?

The two Houndours, with something in their mouths.

My kits. My babies. Someone was gonna hurt.

"Put them down, and beat it." I growled at the intruders. One chuckled.

"I'm sorry, but you've got no say. They're the boss's kids, so they belong to us." The two began to retreat, carrying the kits by the scruffs of their necks. I growled one more time and targeted the closest one with a Take Down. The Houndour easily sidestepped my attack. I charged headfirst into the table, knocking over a jar that Isabel kept colorful rocks in. A rain of pebbles fell fro the table. If everyone else wasn't already awake, that woke them. Blaze was the first one on the scene. He quickly identified the situation and bit the Houndour nearest him. The Houndour gave a yelp and dropped the two kits he was holding, who both hid behind Blaze. The Houndours turned and crashed through the sliding glass door, resulting in a loud _CRASH!_ and sending glass everywhere. They had gotten away with a Kit. Lucia. My lovable Luci.

Not if I had something to do with it.

"Get Isabel and Sam." I said to Blaze, who nodded and ran off. I leapt through the door, grazing my left shoulder on a piece of glass, and gave chase. As we ran, I noticed one of the pebbles was caught under the collar Isabel made me wear. It irritated my neck, but I ignored it and ran faster. I caught up with them quickly. When they reached their destination, an old, abandoned lot, they stopped but I kept running at them. I directed a Take Down at one of them, sending him flying into the air and landing on his back a few feet away. He growled as he stood up and shot a small ember at me. It caught me off guard and I barely got away with some singed fur. Thinking quickly, I kicked sand in his eyes and ran up and bit his ear as he was blinded. We ended up rolling on the ground, wrestling each other when the other Houndour interjected.

"Stop!" he shouted. I glanced at him and, to my horror, saw he was holding little Lucia between his strong jaws. I backed off, letting the Houndour I was fighting join his companion. They nodded to each other, then began to back away slowly. They were going to take Lucia. I felt so helpless. All I could do was watch them leave. My heart broke when Lucia gave a little cry, squirming about in her captive's mouth. I made a move, but Houndour tightened his grip threateningly, making Lucia squeal. I was on the brink of tears when I heard,

"Blaze, extremespeed!" My heart sank.

"Blaze, no, wait!" I shouted, but he already flew past me, a blur of orange. He slammed into the Houndour that wasn't holing Lucia captive, to my relief, and the two tumbled off, biting and snarling. The other bully glared at me.

"Now you've done it." he said, clamping down his jaw.

Lucia gave the most ear-piercing, blood-curdling, heart-breaking cry I've ever heard before hanging limp. Time itself seemed to slow. Blaze and the other Houndour looked up from their fight. Somewhere behind us, Isabel gave a cry. The bully tossed Lucia off to one side and gave me a look that dared me to do something about it. As the world came crashing down around me, I didn't notice the smooth stone caught in my collar begin to glow. Houndour's eyes grew wide, and I noticed when the same glow enveloped me.

I could feel my tail grow longer and split in two directions at the end, becoming almost scaly. My body and legs grew longer, and I felt my ears migrate to the sides of my head and split, becoming fins. A third fin grew from the top of my head. The mane around my neck grew into yet another stiff, finlike ring. When it was all done, I heard Isabel gasp.

"A V-Vaporeon?" she said, mesmerized. I looked down at my new compact, light blue, almost scale-like fur. The pebble must've been a water stone.

I felt something building in my chest, and it wasn't just anger.

I glared at the Houndour, tears running down my face. I opened my mouth and shot a high pressure blast of water at him. Within seconds he had blown clear across the lost, unconscious. There was a deep-seated thought in my mind to finish him off, but I brushed it aside with difficulty. I had more important things to attend to.

I ran over to Lucia, who was barely conscious. She was bleeding heavily from several punctures along her chest and back. It hurt me horribly to see my baby girl in this much pain, and there was nothing I could do about it. I leaned down and licked her face, trying to comfort her and telling her how much I loved her. Her breathing was shallow, so I was surprised when she turned and licked me nose.

"Love…" she said softly. She laid back down and gave a shudder, then was still.

For several minutes I laid over body, sobbing like and idiot and begging her to wake up. A yelp snapped me back to reality. It was one of the Houndours, now helping the other up. I didn't realize I was running at them until Blaze tackled me.

"Christine, no! It's not worth it!" He was lying on top of me, so I couldn't move. I laid there beneath him, crying and shouting at Houndour and Blaze and even at Isabel. In less than a month, Houndoom had posthumously destroyed more than half of my litter.

And I hated everyone for it.

**A/N: Ooh, had to put a bit of angst in there. Hope you all like it! **

**How will this affect Christine? Stay tuned and find out!**


	8. Dark Gloom, Friendship Bloom

**A/N: Ha! No homework means yet another chapter for all my fans. Hooray!**

**I'll say it again, and I really can't stress this enough. Review my story, please! It makes me feel like I actually accomplished something! **

**Blaze's PoV**

Christine was a horrible mess over the following couple of days. She sat on her bed all day, refusing to interact with anyone. Her depression was affecting everyone else, too, especially Shadow and Rose. Christine would practically burst into tears every time one came near her, so Isabel was forced to take care of them for her.

The household was very bleak. Isabel had just finished her training and was getting a job outside of town, which really didn't help the mood at all. And I couldn't even approach Christine, much less cheer her up. I know this is shallow, but she changed. I, like many fire-types, have an irrational fear of water-types. I beat myself up inside knowing my friend was in pain and I was too much of a coward to do anything about it.

"I'm worried about Cici." Isabel said over dinner one night, about three days after the incident. "If she doesn't eat soon, she'll starve herself." No one replied. There was nothing else to say.

"Plus, when I leave, no one will be able to take care of Shadow and Rose," Isabel continued, "I may not be able to take the job if this continues."

That was it. I had to face my fears. I got up and headed out into the living room, stopping by Christine.

"Christine." I said to her. She didn't move. I could already feel myself beginning to sweat.

"Christine." I said again. "You don't have to respond, but I need to talk to you." I took a deep breath.

"What you're doing is…selfish. You have every right to be sad, but you're ignoring your own children and hurting yourself! I know what it's like to lose a loved one, but this isn't the way to deal with it.

"Go ahead and be sad, but move on. You can't change what happened; just how you react. It's best you leave it behind you, for the sake of yourself and your kits. We're worried about you, Christine. I want to help, but you need to move on before any healing can begin. A simple smile will shine through. Do you understand?" I waited for a response, but after none came I turned to leave.

"…yes." The voice was so quiet, so faint, that I wasn't even sure I heard it.

----------

**Christine's PoV**

Everything he said made sense. I wanted to applaud his efforts; he had been very brave.

"…yes." I answered as he started to walk away.

"Wh-wha?" he turned back around.

"Yes…you're absolutely right." I said. I sat up slowly and watched Blaze. He walked back over to me, a look of apprehension written on his face. He obviously hadn't expected an answer.

"It's been so hard lately." I continued, "I never meant to hurt anyone, especially not Shadow and Rose, but it's been so difficult lately, losing everything. My innocence, my family, my children, my huma-" I stopped short. I had said too much. But I hadn't thought about becoming a Pokemon in so long, I had almost completely forgotten I ever was human. I hoped Blaze wouldn't inquire further, but I had no such luck.

"Your…what?" he looked at me with big, concerned eyes. I couldn't keep it a secret from him any longer. I just had to tell _someone_.

"My…humanity." IT was like the weight of the world had been lifted from my shoulders. I proceeded to tell him everything: the letter, the organization, the transformation, the escape, everything. He listened and occasionally nodded with polite understanding, but I could tell in his mind he was skeptical of it all. When I finished, he nodded slowly.

"Wow…I'm so sorry, Christine."

"You don't believe me, do you?" He shook his head.

"It does sound a bit farfetched, but I believe you." I smiled at him. This talk was just what I needed. My mood had increased significantly.

"Thank you, Blaze." I said, stepping closer and resting my head on his shoulder. "You've really helped a lot. That took a lot of courage. I stepped back and gazed deeply into his warm, inviting eyes. I felt myself leaning closer. I closed my eyes and…

----------

**Blaze's PoV**

At first I wasn't sure whether or not to believe Christine's story, but as she continued I felt more and more inclined to believe her. I found myself wondering how this would affect our friendship.

_No,_ I thought, _She'll always be my friend. That much I am sure of._

I felt my heart beat faster. I thought it was in the ecstasy of the moment as Christine closed her eyes and leaned forward, but I noticed a sudden flare of nervousness as she drew closer. A sudden burst of panic made me pull myself away from her, and I regretted it instantly. When I looked back at her, to my relief, she didn't look hurt or upset. She was smiling understandingly.

"Well, I'm going to take a nap." she said, yawning. I cursed my phobia and left the room to let her catch up on some well-deserved sleep.

----------

**Christine's PoV**

Since my talk with Blaze, everything was better. Isabel was in higher spirits, and Sam was much more energetic. But Blaze seemed to be avoiding me whenever possible. I wanted to ask him why, but I never got the time.

Isabel was busy packing and preparing for her transfer to the town Sunpalm, which I learned was a smaller beachside town located about an hour away by car. The night before Isabel was set to leave, she called a meeting.

"Okay, everyone." she said, looking at us al. "I have a proposition to make. I think Cici should come with me to Sunpalm." Sam grinned.

"That sounds like a capital idea!" he exclaimed. "The fresh air will do some good for the little one and her kits!" He patted my head. I smiled eagerly at Isabel, then down to me two yipping children, who were now about a month old. I looked up at Blaze, but was surprised to see him frowning. He got up and walked off. I went to follow him, but was grabbed by Isabel.

"Isn't this exciting, Cici?" she asked. "I'm sure you'll love it there." I smiled, but looked back at the door Blaze disappeared through with concern.

----------

I hardly saw Blaze at all the next morning. Isabel was busy buzzing about the house, packing the rest of my belongings and otherwise putting on the finishing touches. By the time our taxi appeared outside our door that afternoon, I was worried Blaze wouldn't even be there to see us off. Isabel gave Sam a hug, saying her goodbyes. I wished I could do the same.

"C'mon, Cici." Isabel said, climbing into the taxi with Shadow and Rose in her arms. I looked around one last time and turned to board the taxi when there was a bark. Blaze came running from around the side of the house carrying a rose in his mouth. He stopped in front of me and set the flower by my feet.

"Now, I'm sorry I've been avoiding you," he said quickly, " but I have this fear of water-types and I let it get in the way of our friendship and I'll be _damned_ if I screw this up again. Now, you're really special to me, Chris-" I kissed him, putting an abrupt end to his words. I let the kiss linger for a moment, then broke away slowly. Blaze just sat there, mouth agape.

"You took too long." I said, giggling when his face flushed bright red. We said our farewells and he promised he and Sam would come visit us on occasion. I climbed into the back seat of the taxi and watched as Blaze and Sam grew smaller and smaller until the disappeared from sight completely.

The first step of my journey had been taken.

**A/N: Wow, I used a lot of scene transitions in this one. And it was a lot shorter than usual. Sorry 'bout that! '**

** Keep it real!**


	9. Home, sweet home!

**A/N: Argh! Another short chapter! I'm so sorry! I haven't had time to do much of anything, really, so this was all I was able to do. But, once I get some more time to work on it, they'll start being longer again.**

**Alright, enjoy! **

I watched the horizon whiz past us. My kits had fallen asleep in the back seat near me a while ago. Isabel was politely chatting with the driver about Sunpalm. There had already been a drastic change between the dirty, bleak city to the sunny, clean country. I was excited to get there. Not after long, the taxi came to a halt in front of an attractive two-story light blue house.

"Home, sweet home." said Isabel, paying the driver and stepping out of the taxi. A moving van had come with the furniture the day before, so it didn't take long to bring our bags inside, unpack, and begin to arrange the house to our liking.

We finished late in the day. The two of us slumped onto the couch, admiring our work.

"Looks good." Isabel sighed. She laid her head back on the cushions, but we were both startled when the doorbell rang. I followed Isabel to the door. She opened the door and there stood a man, about Isabel's age, with a Luxio perched at his side. He was fairly tall, with black hair that hung over his warm, brown eyes.

"Hi there!" he said, grinning. The Luxio nodded, then looked over at me.

"I just came to welcome you to Sunpalm." the man continued. "I'm Marc, and this is Sparky." He placed a hand on the Luxio's black, furry head.

"Thank you! I'm Isabel," Isabel shook Marc's hand, "…and this is Cici. Do you live around here?"

"Just across the street." Marc replied, gesturing to the house with a large fenced-in area behind him. The two went on talking. I walked over to the Luxio.

"Hello, there." The electric Pokemon, Sparky, smiled.

"Marc insisted we come over. I hope we didn't interrupt anything." I Shook my head.

"No, we were just unpacking."

"Does she work around here?" Sparky asked, nodding his head at Isabel.

"Yeah, she's a nurse at the Pokemon Center. What about Marc." Sparky hesitated for a moment.

"Oh, he's a…erm…Pokemon Breeder." I giggled when his face turned red. "Don't get the wrong idea." he added quickly.

"I wouldn't think of it." I said, laughing.

"Well, I should get going." said Marc. "C'mon, Sparky." After a quick goodbye, Marc and Sparky headed away. Isabel smiled down at me.

"I think I like it here. She said with a wink.

----------

Marc and Sparky visited often. Isabel and Marc would always talk, and Sparky would show me around and talk with me, as well. He showed me their small, fenced in farm-like area where Marc kept his Pokemon. I've never seen so many in my life! I've been to a farm before, but now from this perspective it seemed so large.

Isabel and I slowly grew on our new home. She would go to work everyday and Sparky and I would rendezvous outside on the front porch. But our paradise wasn't perfect, as I soon found.

"Hi, Cici." Sparky surprised me one day, about two weeks after moving in. I looked up from suckling the two rapidly-growing kits, startled. Sparky nodded at the kits. "Who's the lucky father?" I frowned and looked away.

"Ok." He said quietly. "I'm sorry for your loss." I shook my head.

"No, you misunderstand. I was raped."

"Ah." After a short, rather awkward pause, "By who, if you don't mind me asking?"

"A Houndoom. You wouldn't know him." Sparky instantly frowned. Could he have known about Houndoom? When I asked aloud, Sparky explained.

"Yeah, he was one of the leaders of the Dark gang. They're infamous all over for being especially cruel." I nodded.

"They even have a small branch out here, led by a Mightyena. He doesn't bother people much, though." Sparky thought for a moment. "Not in a while, at least. But you'd think with all the things they do, they'd at least come up with a more interesting name than the 'Dark gang'." There was another awkward pause; I decided to switch the conversation back.

"What about you? Any woman in your life?' Sparky shook his head.

"Once." he said slowly. "The Dark gang's masters took everything from me. Marc saved me, honestly." I nodded, but caught onto something.

"Wait…you said they have masters? Human masters?"

"Of course." Sparky said, giving me and odd look. "Pokemon aren't naturally good or evil. They act as their owners will have them."

"So, these Pokemon are ordered by people to cause mayhem?" The thought was horrifying.

Sparky nodded. "And I'll never forgive them for what they did to me. And, now you, too." I smiled.

"We have a lot in common, don't we?" I asked, giggling.

"Tragedy draws people together, I guess." Sparky replied, grinning.

Sparky and I talked for a while. It turns out we had many common interests. Our fun was ruined an hour later when Marc called for Sparky.

"Oh, I have to go." Sparky frowned. "See you tomorrow, maybe?"

"Of course!" I said. Sparky nodded, smiling.

"It's a date, then. See you soon." He bounded off towards his house. I sighed. Was it wrong for me to get this close to others? Eddie was still out there, after all. Would he still want me, though? I thought back to my dreams. Maybe this _was_ for the better.

I turned around at Isabel's call and headed inside to sleep and think on it.

**A/N: Sorry again for the length! Once I get to work on chapter 10 (tomorrow, maybe?), I'll make it longer! I promise!**


	10. Panic

**A/N: A few things. First off, I'd like to say thanks to all my readers. Even though I don't know who you are exactly, I know you're out there. And for that, you have my gratitude.**

**Secondly, my story has had over 600 hits, and I would like to be the first to say SWEET! Uh, that's it. Thanks again, and please continue reading! Enjoy.**

It wasn't long after that Isabel and Marc officially began to date. This meant Marc was coming over much more often, which in turn meant I got to spend more time with Sparky.

"It looks like two couples are forming, eh?" Sparky commented. He laughed afterwards, so I assumed he was joking. I still was unsure about how I should feel about our relationship, in the case that I do one day become human again. The subject had been on my mind for a while now. Should I get used to this life, in case I become human again. Of course, that was considering I ever found a way to become human again. Heck, I don't even know how I became a Pokemon in the first place. My mind was in a never ending conflict with my emotions.

All that was clear in my mind was that I enjoyed the time I spent with Sparky.

----------

It was about two months after we moved in that Sam and Blaze visited. Isabel immediately told her father the good news.

"Wonderful, my dear!" he exclaimed, giving her a big hug.

"I think Cici's got a boyfriend herself." Isabel said. I blushed as Isabel and Sam smiled and laughed. Blaze just smiled and looked away. I suppose it was partially true, though. Sparky and I were growing closer. We talked and often spent most of the day together. And, as much as it conflicted with that worry deep in my heart, I couldn't help but notice the attraction I felt towards Sparky.

"Sparky, this is Blaze." I introduced the two officially that night. Our owners were out in town, and I thought we could take the time to catch up.

Not a lot changed since we left. Sam still went to work and visited the park every ay. Sparky listened intently to Blaze, but when it was his turn to talk, Blaze seemed distant; almost like something was bothering him. When the adults got back and Marc and Sparky left, I decided to go talk with him.

----------

**Blaze's PoV**

I'm happy for Christine, I really am, but whenever I hear Sparky talk, my heart burns. But I'm not jealous or anything.

…am I?

"Hey, Blaze?" It was Christine. Isabel and Sam were speaking softly in the other room. I couldn't avoid her anymore.

"Yes, Christine?" Okay, just be cool.

"…is there something wrong?" She looked genuinely worried about me. She was so sweet and caring. She's just…perfect, you know? I could find nothing of fault about her. But, still…

"No, I'm fine." It absolutely killed me to say it. But, I could tell she loved Sparky, and she deserved to have him without my intrusion. I turned to walk away again, but she cut in front of me.

"You didn't seem to warm up to Sparky much."

"I'm _fine_." I said sternly, pushing past her. She cut in front of me again.

"You're not acting like yourself…"

"Then why don't you go and be with Mr. Perfect!?" I completely blew my top, and regretted it the moment it left my mouth and I saw the look of hurt on her face. I didn't mean it, really.

She _does_ love him, right? Then, why was she so concerned about me? I'm trying to get out of her way so she can be with him, but…she's making it so difficult. I figured it was best to get her out of my mind for good. She has someone else, someone better. But…I just can't let her go.

I guess I _was _jealous.

----------

**Christine's PoV**

Why was Blaze so angry at me? I was so confused. Nothing was making any sense anymore. I went outside as Isabel and Sam rushed in to see what was wrong.

It was dark outside. And cold. But I didn't care. I couldn't get my thoughts straight. I was torn between Blaze, Sparky, and becoming human. I didn't know which I should be concentrating on. What were these feelings? Did Blaze think I was in love with Sparky?

That's ridiculous; we're good friends, not in love! I don't feel that way about either of them!

Or…do I? And if so, who?

"Little lost kitten is out on her own…" the voice shattered my muddled thoughts and tore me back into reality. I whipped around, trying to find the source of the voice, but it was too dark to see. The voice chuckled.

"Aww, little kitty can't see me…"

"Who are you?" I asked the darkness.

"That's not important." There! My sensitive ears pinpointed the noise to my right.

"You have caused us much trouble." the voice continued. I readied a hydro-pump. "The Dark Gang wants you!"

I froze for a moment. What did the voice know about the Dark Gang? Maybe he knew how I became a Pokemon! I heard movement, but I reacted too late. Not very late; just a split second.

But it was enough.

A strong force knocked me onto my backside. As I got up shakily, a Mightyena stepped into the light of the house.

"You will come with me. My master wants you…" His voice was eerie; it was low and breathy. He stepped closer, training his glowing red eyes on me. I growled at him, hoping someone inside would notice me out here.

No such luck.

I ran in the opposite direction, toward the road, with Mightyena following close behind. I could hear his heavy footsteps behind me. Then, suddenly, they stopped. I skidded to a halt, searching for my pursuer. I turned back towards the road to be met by the dark Pokemon charging at me. He hit me square on, sending me flying back again. Before I could regain my composure, the Mightyena was standing above me.

"You lose." He began to make a move when a blinding flash crashed into him.

It was Sparky.

The two duked it out. I got up slowly, cheering Sparky on. It was too dark to see well, so details of the actual fight are vague, but I could tell the fight was over when there was a bright flash followed closely by a yelp. I heard the Mightyena growl and run off, passing just inches in front of me. I dashed towards Sparky, finding him on the ground a few feet from the house.

"Thank you." I whispered, helping him to his feet. In the porch light, I noticed a matted, red patch of fur on his shoulder.

"Sparky! You're hurt." I said, alarmed.

"I'm fine." he grunted, having trouble walking.

"But, Sparky…" I began to protest, but he turned his head away from me. "Sparky?"

"Don't call me that!" he snapped. His face softened, and he added, "Sorry. That's not my real name, just the one Marc gave me. I don't like being called it all that much."

Understandable. "…Well, are you okay, then, erm…" I looked at his face, silently asking for his name. He obliged.

"My name is Eddie."

I froze. Those four words have had the biggest impact on me in quite a while. Could it really, truly be? I just had to know. Reaching out, I dared to ask,

"…Eddie?" He nodded. "Umm…by any chance…as your mate's name Christine?" Sparky, er, Eddie, looked surprised.

"Um, yeah. How did you know?' I couldn't believe it. I had really found him. I couldn't stop the tears from flowing.

"I hear she misses you…" Eddie's eyes widened, seeming to catch on.

"C-Christine?" I nodded, burying my face into his chest. Suddenly, everything was okay. The cloud over my mind had been lifted, at least momentarily.

----------

**Blaze's PoV**

It pained me to see them through the window.

But, I had already convinced myself it was what was best for Christine. Besides, what did I expect? They were perfect for each other. I would soon just be a memory.

I turned and walked away. I needed some sleep.

----------

The next morning I was awakened by a large, cheerful smile.

"Morning, sleepyhead." Christine said happily. I grunted and rolled over, trying to avoid her gaze.

"Aww, what's wrong?" she asked, leaning over top of me. I brushed her off and sat up.

"Nothing." Whoops. That must've sounded meaner than I meant it to. Christine's face fell.

"You did this yesterday, too. What's going on?" It was almost insulting how clueless she was. Almost.

"Nothing, don't worry about it." She frowned.

"Nothing, nothing, nothing is all I've been hearing you say!" she said. "I don't get it. You've been acting strange since I introduced you to-" she paused, a look of realization washing over her face.

"Blaze…you aren't jealous, are you?" she asked, looking at me with those big, innocent eyes.

"Of course not!" I lied. She didn't buy it.

"Yes, you are!" Christine insisted. "You're jealous of Sparky!" I glared at her.

"I am not? What's there to be jealous about?" I said angrily. Christine just smiled, which made me angrier.

"What's so funny!?" I demanded.

"You!" Christine giggled. "I should ask the same thing! Why are you jealous?"

"I'm not! I'm just worried, I mean, look at you! You barely know the guy, but you're al over him!" Why was she making such a big deal of it? I was trying to help her!

"I hardly think that's any of your business!" Christine shouted, looking flustered.

"You certainly get over things quickly, don't you?" I huffed. From the look on Christine's face, I had hit a soft spot. I didn't want to be rude, but she was being so stubborn!

"B-blaze…" I could hear her voice quavering. "Why are you being so mean? W-what did I ever do to you?" I didn't answer.

"Blaze?" she asked again. Her voice was squeaky. I could tell without looking at her face that she was on the verge of tears.

"Leave me alone. Go be with your 'perfect man'." I growled. There was a pause, then,

"F-fine. M-maybe I will!" Christine ran off, tears running down her face.

----------

**Christine's PoV**

I ran away, into the kitchen. I didn't understand what was happening. One day, Blaze was all kind and caring, and now he's more like he was when we first met!

I sighed and curled up by Isabel, who was standing by the counter.

"Oh, no! This is awful!" she said. She was talking on the phone. Bad news, apparently.

"Don't worry, we'll help you find him." Isabel said, hanging up the phone. She noticed me by her feet and picked me up.

"Oh, Cici!" she said, holding me close. "Marc can't find Sparky! He's gone missing!"

**A/N: Ohohoho…cliffhangers.**

**Told ya it'd be longer. Thanks for reading!**


	11. As bad as things may seem,

**A/N: I can't believe how major a blunder I've made! Oh my goodness. . .**

**I had this chapter completely typed out, but I never uploaded it! I just went back to read through the story, and I realized there wasd a strange, unexplained spce between chapters ten and eleven. Then. . . I realized how stupid I was. Whoops.**

**Now, I don't know who is actually reading this, and it won't change the outcome of future stories. But. . . it fills in plot holes. I am so sorry!**

20 minutes later, we were at the beach, where Marc had called from. He and Sparky had gone there to speak with a client who never showed up, and just decided to stay.

"Thank goodness you're here!" he said as we ran up to him. "He could be anywhere!" Marc was obviously panicking. I was too.

"Alright." said Isabel. "Marc and I Will search this way. Dad, you take Blaze and Cici and look around the pier." We split up, going opposite ways. We walked in awkward silence down the long white beach, calling out Sparky's name. Blaze reluctantly led his owner along, purposely avoiding my gaze and attempts at conversation.

"…Blaze?" I finally gained the nerve to ask again. Blaze sighed.

"What is it?" He sounded annoyed.

"C-can we please talk?" I stuttered.

"No. We don't have time. Just concentrate on finding Mr. Perfect." I turned away, sighing. He was still angry at me. There was a loud howl behind me. I stopped and turned to Blaze.

"What was _that_ for?" I demanded. Blaze gave me an odd look.

"What?" he asked.

"That howl! Why'd you do that?" I was angry that he was playing dumb. He was acting so immature. But then I heard the howl again. Perking my ears, I found where it was coming from.

"There it is again!" I said, being met by another odd look. "Don't you hear it?" Blaze shook his head. I sighed in exasperation and ran off towards the pier.

After following the noise for a bit, I found Eddie lying beneath the wooden pier, cringing every now and then as if in pain.

"Eddie!" I cried, running towards him. Eddie looked up and snarled at me.

"Christine, get out!" he shouted. I stopped. What was his problem?

"Eddie, are you hurt? Let me help…" I strode up to him but was knocked back by a powerful Faint Attack.

I really should've seen that one coming.

Mightyena plowed me into one of the heavy wooden support beams. I crumpled to the ground but recovered as quickly as I could and blasted water at Mightyena, but Mightyena was no longer there. The attack harmlessly hit the ground, narrowly missing Eddie.

"Watch out!" he shouted. I was hit from behind with another Faint Attack. Before I had time to get up, Mightyena was in my face, our noses practically touching.

"You're lucky my master wants you alive. Otherwise I'd have a lot more fun doing this." He lashed out and slashed me clear across the face with his claws. I cried out, not daring to open my eyes in case they were injured.

"Christine!" I heard Eddie cry. The Mightyena picked me up and threw me off to the side, near Eddie.

"Now, we'll wait here for my master." he said. "Don't go anywhere, you two." He chuckled. I couldn't move. I was too tired, too hurt. I tried to call out t Blaze or Eddie, but the words wouldn't pass my lips. Minutes dragged by, the only noise coming from the rolling waves.

"Christine!" I heard the voice call out, but it wasn't Eddie's. The Mightyena turned to see what it was, and was greeted by a large stream of fire. Mightyena yelped in surprise and narrowly evaded the attack. Blaze rushed forward and bit Mightyena, making him howl in pain. The dashed back and forth, landing quick, decisive attacks on one another. I weakly tried to get up, but I still couldn't move. All I could do was mentally cheer for Blaze before I lost consciousness.

----------

When I woke up, I was back at home, on my bed. Rose and Shadow were fast asleep at my side. I smiled. I was suddenly incredibly relieved to see them. I noticed there were bandages wrapped around my waist. I felt a bit sore, but otherwise okay. There was a groan behind me. I checked to see what it was and gasped.

It was Eddie. He was bandaged all over and sleeping fitfully on Blazes old bed. I hadn't realized that he was hurt so badly. I crept over, careful not to wake either of the kits or Eddie, to the door to the kitchen. Isabel, Sam, and Blaze were discussing something quietly; Blaze was listening. He had bandages wrapped around his head and front leg, but seemed like it wasn't serious.

I turned and remembered the mirror Isabel kept on an end table near the couch. Walking over to it, I noticed a long, dark gash down the left side of my face. I sighed. A thought occurred. Something Mightyena said.

"_The Dark Gang wants you…"_ For some reason, the masters of the Dark Gang wanted me. But, why? None of this would've happened if they hadn't been coming after me so relentlessly.

All this pain…was because of me.

----------

**Blaze's PoV**

Everyone recovered quickly. My bandages came off the very next day, and even Sparky was back on his feet in a few days. We were all fine and well by the following weekend.

Except for Christine.

Isabel suggested that she may be healing slower because she had something on her mind. I resolved that night to suck up my pride and talk to her and find out what was bothering her the next morning.

I never got the chance.

That weekend, just four days after the incident, I woke up to find Sam comforting a crying Isabel. Sparky was nowhere in sight. I walked up to the two adults and cocked my head, as if to ask, "What's wrong?". Isabel noticed me and pulled me into her arms.

"Oh, Blaze! Cici's gone! She's run away!"


	12. They can always get worse,

**Blaze's PoV**

I cursed myself for being so stupid. She was obviously hurting! Why didn't I see it sooner?

I was running as quickly as I could across town, heading for the beach. I learned that, of course, Mr. Perfect had already left in search of her there, despite the fact he was still healing. I understood his reasoning. Christine wouldn't miss out on a chance to visit there first. But…would she want to see me? Was she alright?

I began to run faster.

----------

**Christine's PoV**

I stared long and hard at the ocean. I wished I could just disappear into the water. Everyone around me just got hurt; I felt like I had no choice but to run away.

I would miss them all, especially Eddie, but this is what was best for them all. I tentatively stuck a paw in the warm water. I heard stories that Vaporeons could melt into water. If only I knew how. I sighed and decided just to watch the waves roll in and out just a bit longer.

"Pretty, eh?" said a voice behind me. I nodded, lost in the rolling waves. "Planning on going somewhere, Kitty?" the voice chuckled. I turned, growling at, well, just guess.

Yup. Mightyena.

"Can't you people ever leave me alone!?" I shouted at him. A sly grin crossed his black muzzle.

"Not until you come back to us." He leapt forward, grabbing me by the scruff of the neck in his powerful jaws. I sighed.

"You plan on killing me? Well, go ahead. I have nothing left here." I gave up, hanging my head sadly.

"Kill you? Hah!" Mightyena said (which was rather hard to understand). He released me and continued. "I would gladly oblige, believe me, but my master wants you alive."

"You always talk about you master," I said, annoyed, "but who is he?"

"A scientist, Giacomo Rowan. Head of Beyond, Inc." was the reply. A whitecoat? Damn, I should've known.

"Now." said Mightyena, interrupting my thoughts. "Come with me, or else I'll have to resort to using force." I nodded, taking a step forward. Why not? I couldn't stay here, why bother resisting?

"No, Christine, don't do it!" It was Eddie. He ran up behind Mightyena.

"Ah, good. You're both here. That just makes my job easier." Mightyena grinned, flashing his razor-sharp teeth. "Now, come."

Eddie narrowed his eyes. "Never." He charged at Mightyena, his body crackling with electricity. Mightyena deftly avoided the attack, cuffing Eddie in the back of the head with a paw.

"Why must I always use force? I have no time for this." Mightyena sighed. Eddie launched a bolt of electricity at Mightyena. Or, more accurately, at where Mightyena was standing. The bolt fizzled out harmlessly in the white sand. Confused, Eddie looked around frantically for his opponent.

"Eddie, watch out!" I shouted, noticing Mightyena appear behind him. I shot a blast of water at him, but my aim was poor. The blast went several feet to the right of Mightyena and startled Eddie.

"Watch it!" he shouted, turning towards me. That's when he noticed Mightyena. Eddie tried to jump out of the way, but he was too slow. Mightyena raised a paw, his deadly claws glowing black, and slashed Eddie all the way down his chest and side as he dived forward. Eddie collapsed onto his side, landing in the shallow part of the water. I cried out in horror.

"Now…" Mightyena said, taking a step towards me. He didn't get any farther than that, because an orange blur collided with the dark pokemon.

"Get away from them!" Blaze shouted, sending a burst of fire at the Mightyena, now just recovering from the tackle.

"Blast…" muttered Mightyena, running off with Blaze in pursuit. I recovered from my shock and regained movement in my muscles. I ran over to Eddie, kneeling down beside him. He was badly hurt, his blood draining out and being washed away by the gentle tide.

"Eddie, oh Eddie…you're hurt. Oh, it's worse than I thought…" I helped him out of the water, onto the beach. Mightyena's Night Slash had taken its toll. Eddie had horrible, long gashes running the length of his torso, staining the sand red. He coughed.

"I…I'm sorry, Christine. I…I…I don't have much…"

"No…" I said, silencing him. I couldn't stop the tears from appearing and sliding down my face into the sand. "Don't say that. You'll be okay." I didn't know who I was fooling. I knew he was right. The horrible truth was, Eddie was going to die. He shook his head slowly.

"Christine…I love you. Please, promise…promise you will find…another. Spread your love to…someone else…" That just made it all worse. I leaned in close, barely containing myself.

"Please, don't say that. Look, I'll go get help-"

"No!" Eddie stopped me as I began to turn. "Stay with me. I don't want to leave…alone." So we lay there in the sand. Night had dawned upon us; The coolness of the dark embraced us, the serenity only being broken when Eddie smiled at me and spoke.

"Christine…I need to tell you…"

I shook my head. "No, please don't talk." I sniffed, wiping away the tears forming in the corner of my eye.

"No, no…you need to know. Know…what happened that day." He coughed. "That much…I owe you.

Eddie took a deep breath, then began.

"It…it was about a week after I proposed to you. You see…I had gotten fired and I needed some money for our wedding."

"Eddie…" I interrupted. "Why didn't you tell me? We could've-" He placed a paw over my mouth, silencing me.

"Please…let me finish." I nodded. Eddie took another breath, then continued.

"So…I was desperate for money. One day…I received a letter from a company called…Beyond. The letter…the letter said they were looking for people to try their new product.

"Well…I figured I had nothing…nothing to lose, so I went. They said…they'd be glad to help me. They told me to return a week later with…" he paused. Was he blushing? "With…someone I cared about. So…I sent you the letter." It made sense, but I couldn't believe he was fooled by something so…suspicious.

"I met with the CEO before you arrived. When he explained everything to me, I flipped out. He said…they were going to perform an… an experiment on you. I demanded to know the details…so he led me to the lab." Eddie paused to cough and take another, more shallow breath. I noticed there were tears streaming down his face. "I…I'm sorry, Christine. By then…by then they had already captured you. All I could do…was watch as you changed…right before my eyes. I…I was helpless. I demanded they reverse it…but they knocked my out…and transformed me into…well, this." I nodded understandingly. It hadn't occurred to me that he had gone through the exact same pain and torture as I had. And now…those bastard whitecoats were going to pay. A thought occurred.

"How'd you get out?" I asked.

Eddie smiled. "Remember…the day you escaped?" I nodded. There was a mass outbreak of what I assumed to be other victims. Some pokemon had run amok, freeing the victims from their cages. A sudden realization hit me.

"…that was…you?" He nodded.

"Again…I'm so sorry…Christine." He sighed, closing his eyes. I shook him softly.

"Eddie, there's no need to apologize." I said. He shook his head.

"Please…just promise me…"

"Promise?" I asked him, cocking my head to one side.

"Please, Christine…promise you'll love another."

I shook my head "Eddie, please, don't make me-"

"Promise me! Christine, please…" I looked into his sad, determined eyes. I felt the tears come again. I nodded.

"…okay, Eddie. I promise…" Satisfied, he nodded and closed his eyes. I just watched him for a moment, when something dawned on me.

"Eddie?" I asked, shaking him softly again. He didn't respond. "Eddie? Eddie!?"

There was no reply.

----------

**Blaze's PoV**

Mightyena got away after a long chase. Damn well disappeared, the coward. I sighed, heading back the was I came. After a few minutes, the beach came into view and I heard a voice.

"Eddie, no…Eddie, please stay with me! Eddie!" It was Christine. She was huddled over Sparky. But, why? What was going on?

Then I picked up the distinct scent of blood.

I walked slowly over to Christine, who was still gently shaking the Luxio. I found I was right. There was no doubt; Sparky's soul had fled.

"Christine…" I said softly, placing a paw on her shoulder. She turned to me.

"B-blaze…E-eddie, he's…" she stammered. I wiped away the tears falling down her downtrodden face.

"Eddie?" Why did the name sound so familiar? Then it hit me. "Your old mate…from when you were human…" Christine nodded, burying her face into my fur.

Sam, Isabel, and Marc arrived not long after. There wasn't much to say. Marc cried out upon seeing Eddie's body. We his body back to Marc's home, where we held a short burial. Poor Christine was so distressed, she went straight to her bed and stayed there when we returned home. I didn't blame her.

After all, she deserved some time to heal.


	13. But a smile will shine through!

**Blaze's PoV**

Isabel and Sam were talking quietly when I woke up. Apparently, Sam had stumbled upon an object left behind by Mightyena, and they were attempting to identify the strange thing. I yawned sleepily and went to lie down at my master's feet. I closed my eyes, resting for a few moments. When I opened my eyes, I was shocked when I saw who was at the door.

It was Christine, standing there, her little head drooped sadly.

"Christine…" I said, sitting up and taking a step in her direction. Isabel noticed Christine and stood up.

"Oh, Cici…we're all so sorry." She said sympathetically. I knew, though, that sorry could not possibly suffice for the amount of pain Christine was going through. When she looked up at me, though,, I saw on her face the thing I Expected least.

A smile.

"Ch-christine?" I stammered, trying to find the right words. She was smiling, yes, but it was by no means a happy one. It was a smile that spoke of many trials and sorrows, and especially of courage.

"You said it yourself." Christine said to me. "I have to move on before healing can begin." In that instant, I had never been more proud of her. I smiled back at her.

"What's going on?" She asked, standing up to get a better view of the object on the table. I had to admire the girl. She was trying her hardest to keep all the sorrows behind her, and I'll be damned if she didn't deserve it. I motioned for her to follow me up onto an empty chair.

"Alright, this all seems a bit suspicious to just be a coincidence." said Isabel.

Well, at least they were finally catching on.

"We plan to tell the police later, but for now we can do our own investigating." she continued. She indicated the small glass sphere on the table.

"It seems this was dropped by Mightyena." Isabel said, picking up the odd glass ball. "But…what is it?" She set it back on the table and began brainstorming with Sam. Across the table, I saw Christine reach out and nudge the sphere with her snow.

The effect was instantaneous. The little ball burst into a big cloud of orange dust with Christine as the center. Everyone else jumped back and covered their mouths until the cloud dissipated.

"Well, that was interesting…" Christine managed to choke out between bouts of coughing.

Once Christine recovered from her little coughing fit, Isabel announced that Sam and I should pack if we were going to make it back home before it got too dark. I didn't want to say goodbye; not after this short time here. I wanted to spend more time with Christine. I recognized these feelings I felt for her, but that was a problem. It felt wrong to feel this way about her so soon after her mate died. I knew she wouldn't be interested in love, anyway.

Which is why I was surprised when she approached me.

"Blaze…" she said, just as Sam and I were getting ready to leave.

"Yes, Christine?" I assumed she had come to say goodbye, so I stopped what I was doing and turned to her,

"I wish you didn't have to leave so soon." she seemed hesitant as she spoke, almost as if she felt the same as me. "I'll miss you."

I don't know what possessed me in that very moment, but I leaned forward and kissed her. It was really more of a friendly, goodbye kiss than anything. But I knew all the hurt Christine had gone through and I wanted nothing more than to, in that moment, to make it all go away. But as I broke away, the look on Christine's face made me regret it instantly. I had never felt guiltier in my entire life.

"Christine, I'm so sorry, I didn't-" I began to apologize, but was cut off when Christine connected with me once more.

---------

**Christine's PoV**

I was really upset to see them pack up. Blaze had been so kind and comforting to me… he was so wonderful to me, and I never even did anything for him! The least I could do was say goodbye.

But as I spoke with him, something was…off. Blaze was acting kind of weird.

"I'll miss you." I said. Before I could turn to leave, he leaned in and kissed me. It took me by surprise. The kiss was just so sweet and gentle. It was out of friendship, not lust. When he broke away, he almost immediately started babbling some sort of apology.

_What is there to be sorry about?_ I thought, and zeroed in on him again. I let the kiss linger a bit, enjoying the moment, before I broke away and rested my head on his shoulder.

"Christine," Blaze said, stepping away from me. He had a horrible look of guilt on his face. "Christine, this is wrong. I mean, Sparky just-"

"No, no…" I silenced him. "Sparky told me…this is what he would've wanted." HE still looked unconvinced, but that wasn't unexpected. Blaze hadn't heard Sparky's last words, after all. He just sat there, looking distant, and after a few, long, painful moments of awkwardness, he spoke again.

"Sam's considering moving, you know." He said softly. He turned to me. "There's no telling how long it will be before we see each other again."

I saw what he was getting at. "Then I'll wait for you, right here." I said firmly, then added, "…with a smile. I trust you'll visit again someday." Blaze smiled, his face finally looking at ease. We embraced each other one last time those few moments we had together before Sam called for Blaze. Isabel and I waved goodbye and watched the little yellow vehicle disappear down the road. The sky must've known how I felt, because at that moment dark rain clouds began to appear.

But I could wait…with a smile.


	14. Crisis!

They weren't gone for 10 minutes when I began to feel strange. At first, it was just a little trouble breathing. I took no notice of it. But not long after, it felt like a giant, invisible hand was clamping itself around my chest. It was getting harder and harder to take in breath. Isabel must've noticed

"Are you okay, Cici?" she asked, looking concerned. I tried to nod, but found that all my muscles had frozen. I started to hyperventilate in panic, but the breaths were short and gasping. Isabel picked me up, trying to see what was wrong.

"Cici? Oh, this isn't good…" she muttered, obviously as panicked as I was. She grabbed a raincoat and bolted out the front door, heading down the street towards the Pokemon Center. It had begun to rain, so Isabel carried me under her coat.

By the time we reached the Pokemon Center and Isabel set me on the countertop inside, the pressure had gone away and I could breathe with a bit more ease.

"Isabel?" asked Nurse Joy. "I thought you took the ay off." Isabel nodded.

"That's not why I'm here, Joy." she said, leaning in closer. "A few minutes ago Cici was hyperventilating and frozen stiff as a board."

"Uh oh," said Joy. "That could be a problem"

"Do you know what's wrong?" Isabel asked, her spirits falling when Joy shook her head.

"Not entirely. We should be able to diagnose her after a quick test, though." Joy assured her, smiling as usual. She took a blood sample and disappeared behind a large white door behind the desk, returning several minutes later. Her smile had disappeared.

"Isabel, has Cici been in contact with anything…strange, lately? Perhaps something she breathed in?" Isabel thought for a moment.

"Well, earlier…there was this weird orange cloud of dust, but I don't-" She stopped mid-sentence. Her eyes bugged. "No, you can't be serious…"

"I'm afraid so." Joy said solemnly, nodding. "It's the Atrum Occupo toxin. It's airborne, so it was probably in that cloud. It's rare, and…often fatal, but only because it isn't diagnosed in time. It can be easily treated with any common anti-toxin if caught early enough."

Isabel grinned, snapping her fingers. "I have antidotes in my medical bag! I'll go get it really quick." She turned and ran out the door. Joy leaned against the counter and stroked my fur.

"Someone's really got it out for you, huh Cici?" she said with disgust.

She didn't know the half of it.

Isabel returned 15 minutes later, looking flustered.

"I completely forgot…" she said, panting. "I'm such an idiot! I didn't pack my medical bag when we moved, and I forgot to ask Dad to bring it when he came. Are there any spare antidotes here?"

Joy shook her head. "no, we don't carry any. And there's no Pokemart in town…" Isabel gave an angry 'Graah!' and pounded her fist on the table. "Is there any way for your father to bring it?" Isabel checked her watched.

"They left 45 minutes ago. I won't be able to reach them for at least another 15 minutes, and even then it'll take an hour for him to get here." Isabel sighed.

"Well, that's the nearest town, so it looks like our only option is to wait." Joy said. Isabel pounded her fist on the counter again.

"Isn't there _anything_ we can do?" she asked. Much to our combined relief, Joy nodded.

"We can hook her up to a machine back here," she gestured to the door behind her, "that will help stabilize her. Unfortunately, we can't stop the symptoms completely." My jaw dropped.

"Why not?" Isabel had spoken for me.

"Because the atrum toxin is progressive." Joy explained, "It's in six stages, all of which must be treated differently. The only way to differentiate the stages is by the symptoms, so if we stop them, I won't know how to help.

"She's still in the first stage, so the symptoms are mild, but as time goes on, they will get worse and worse until-" She didn't have to finish. IT was clear enough. I started to feel the tightness in my chest and short of breath again. I coughed a few to times to indicate what was going on.

"Oh!" said the nurse, throwing her arms up. "Bring her back here, quickly!" Isabel scooped me up in her arms and followed Joy through the door. The room on the other side like not unlike a sick bay. It was a long room with few windows. Lined along the wall across from us were a row of the white beds I knew all too well, some of them occupied. Isabel set me down on a bed while Joy appeared carrying a small squarish machine, which she set on the bedside table. She inserted and IV-like needle into my arm and stood back, having a large sigh.

"I'll go call Dad and tell him to hurry with that bag." announced Isabel, who kissed my forehead and disappeared back out the door. Joy patted my head, gave me a sympathetic look, then went to tend to some other patients. As the pain in my torso died down once more, I thought out to Blaze.

_Blaze…I can't wait forever…please don't keep me waiting…_

----------

**Blaze's PoV**

We were lucky we left when we did. By the time we got back, the rain was pouring so hard that there were reports of flooding in some areas. It was a safe bet that the same would happen to us if this weather kept up.

The first thing we heard when we walked through the front door was the phone.

"I'll get it." Sam said, guiding himself into the kitchen. I had to hand it to him; he did well for himself for being blind. He was becoming more independent. He probably won't need me anymore someday. I followed him into the kitchen

"…alright, I'll get right on it. Tell her to hang in there." Sam said to the caller, then hung up the phone. His voice was very grave. He set down the phone and turned to me.

"Quickly, Blaze. We need to find Isabel's medical bag." He started running his hands over the counters, trying to locate the bag.

"Why?" I asked. The words came from my mouth before I remembered he couldn't understand me, but he must have gotten the gist of what I wanted.

"It's Cici again." Sam shook his head. My heart sank. "She inhaled some deadly toxin, and we need to get that medical bag back to her." That was all the convincing I needed. We searched frantically for 10 minutes, when I found it in Isabel's old room.

"I got it!" I shouted. I picked the bag up in my mouth and ran over to Sam.

"Did you find it, boy?" he asked. He took the bag from my mouth. "Perfect! I'll go call for another taxi-" His words were cut short by a flash of lightning.

"Oh, no." Sam gasped, almost racing to the phone. He dialed quickly and talked for a few brief moments before slamming the phone down.

"Damn! I was afraid of this. They won't drive anywhere in this weather." This was quickly turning into a disaster. As Sam dialed Isabel's number, I had a horrible feeling in my gut that told me it was just going to get much, much worse.

----------

**Christine's PoV**

By the time Isabel returned, I had had another attack, but this one was shorter than the last. I hoped that it was because I was getting better, but Nurse Joy explained it was because I was in the transition between stage 1 and stage 2.

"Don't worry, Cici. Sam and Blaze are on their way. They'll be here soon." she scratched my head, grinning. But I was beyond the point of being able to be cheered up. I was downright _pissed_; there wasn't much point in living through this if the Dark Gang was going to keep trying to kill me.

As soon as the thought entered my head, I brushed it away. I had plenty to live for. My children, Isabel, Sam, and Blaze!

Especially Blaze. I told him I would wait for him, and waiting I was. Just not in the sense I had hoped I would be waiting.

The phone rang. I heard Joy answer it.

"Isabel!" she called, "It's your father." Isabel retrieved the telephone and brought it back with her to my bed.

"Hi, Dad. What's going on?" she asked into the phone.

"Isabel," I heard Sam's voice come from the little device, "We found the medical bag, but none of the taxi's are running in this weather."

"What!?" Isabel jumped up so quickly she almost knocked a lamp off the table next to my bed.

"Calm, yourself, Isabel." Sam said. "We'll still get the bag to you somehow. We'll just have to-"

Everything went dark. There was a crack of thunder outside.

"Hello? Hello!?" Isabel was practically shouting into the telephone.

"Oh no, the power's out!" I heard Nurse Joy shout from the lobby of the Pokemon Center. She appeared a moment later with two candles and handed one to Isabel. She looked worried. "Without electricity, none of the equipment will work!"

She sounded alarmed. Isabel didn't seem to catch on until Joy gave a nervous glance at the little device at my bedside.

"Don't you have a backup generator?" Isabel demanded. Joy shook her head sadly.

"We don't. Nothing is stabilizing the toxin in Cici's body now. They'll have to hurry faster now than ever before." Isabel slumped down on the bed, defeated.

"It's okay, Cici. They'll be here. We just need to have faith." She said, stroking my fur.

I screamed.

Her touch was like a thousand fiery needles in my skin. Isabel jerked her hand bck, alarmed.

"Hypersensitivity to touch…" Joy muttered. "She's entered the second stage."

"The toxin has already accelerated that quickly?" Isabel asked, obviously shocked and horrified. Joy nodded.

"I need to go prepare for the third stage." she said, turning to head out the door. "Don't touch her, and try to keep her from moving." She left, leaving me alone with Isabel.

"Oh, Cici…," Isabel sighed, "What are we going to do with you?

I wanted to know the same.

----------

**Blaze's PoV**

"…that's odd." said Sam. "She hung up." He dialed the number again, but still got no answer.

"I wonder what's going on." Sam frowned. There was a crack of thunder outside. A look of realization washed over Sam. "A blackout! I have to go call the power plant." He hurried off to call them. I groaned.

_I'm sorry, Sam,_ I thought, grabbing the medicine bag. _Christine's life is on the line. I'm going to have to get it there myself_

I headed out the door with the bag in my mouth. Ignoring the pouring rain, I started running down the road.

_I'm coming, Christine. Please, wait for me!_


	15. Hanging On

Isabel and Joy were brainstorming in the corner of the room. I didn't hear everything they said because I was attempting to ignore the pain wracking throughout my body, but I'm sure I heard the words 'Do what's best', and 'Put her down' thrown in there.

I didn't like where it was going.

Isabel looked absolutely miserable. She continually told me that I would be okay, and that somehow Blaze and Sam would get here soon. I could tell she was beginning to doubt it at this point, though.

"What's wrong with you?" My ears were ringing so much that the voice barely registered.

"Hm?" I asked, turning my head and cracking open one eye. On the bed adjacent to mine was a rather sick-looking Aipom staring back at me with big, doleful eyes.

"What's wrong with you? Why are you here?" the Aipom repeated.

"Toxin. Deadly." I forced the words through clenched teeth.

"Oh," was the reply. Then, a few moments later, "The pain."

"I gave him an odd look. "What about it?"

"Can't they do something?" Aipom asked. I've never noticed this about a Pokemon before, but I realized this Aipom was young. No older than a few years, at least. And female. She was definitely female. I'm not sure why I figured this, but I assumed it must've been an instinct. I shook my head.

"…are you going to make it?" The simplicity of the question surprised me. Plus, I hadn't really dwelled on it that much.

"Only if a friend gets the medicine here on time."

"Do you think he'll make it?" I didn't know what to say. All evidence suggested otherwise, but I trusted Blaze.

"Absolutely." I nodded, smiling. Satisfied, the Aipom nodded and turned over. I grinned at the young Pokemon. She was so innocent and helpless. I had to remember to ask her why she was here.

I turned over in my bed, but halfway through the motion I remembered I wasn't supposed to. I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing myself for the horrible, stinging pain again. Even though it wasn't as bad this time, I still screamed.

"Cici, are you okay?" It was Isabel, standing above me and looking deeply concerned. I shook my head. "Does it still hurt?" I nodded. She gave a sigh.

"Here. We'll need some of these." Joy said, handing Isabel a towel and bucket. Isabel looked at the objects worriedly, but still took them.

"Joy…what…what're these for?" She asked Joy, looking incredulous.

"The second stage will be over soon. We'll need these for stage three." The nurse said grimly. I was pleased to find she was right. The pain was fading surprisingly quickly. I heaved a sigh of relief, but it came out as a cough. Something was irritating my throat and chest. I coughed again.

"Joy, what exactly is the next stage?" Isabel asked, an edge of worry in her voice. The nurse hesitated. She opened her mouth to answer, but she didn't have to. I coughed again, feeling something rise up my throat and into my mouth. I spat it out over the side of the bed.

It was blood.

"Cici?" Isabel asked, alarmed. She reached out to touch me, but I moved away, promptly coughing up another mouthful of blood.

"Quickly." Nurse Joy said. "We need to work fast and hope your father gets here soon."

----------

**Blaze's PoV**

There was almost no visibility. The roads were horribly muddy. My lungs were aching, my legs were tired, and I was soaked to the bone.

But I couldn't stop running.

I couldn't let Christine down. It was a race against time, and so far, I was losing. _Please, oh, please let Christine be okay! _I prayed desperately_._ The cold, dark rain pelted my skin furiously, but I had become numb to it long ago. I wanted to know how long I had been running. It must've been at least 45 minutes, which meant time was running out quickly. My body was screaming for me to stop, but my brain forced me to keep going.

I had to get there in time, no matter the cost. I loved Christine. Absolutely, purely just…loved her. Forever and for always. Which is why I had to make it. She needed to know.

I grit my teeth through the biting cold and pushed myself harder.

----------

"I don't see how you continue to do it." said a helper Blissey, shaking her head in disbelief. To tell the truth, neither could I. Phase 3 turned out to be not nearly as painful as 1 or 2. Joy explained that it just disrupted the natural flow of blood, which caused it to start pooling in my lungs. But, being so brief, it really wasn't anything more than just a little uncomfortable. Unfortunately, as Joy grimly pointed out, that particular phase was really just setting the stage for the next one. Apparently, the chances of death are significantly higher in phases 4, 5, and 6, so I was constantly under the watchful eye of a nurse or helper. Currently, my watcher was this kind, rather old, Blissey.

"How do you do it?" she asked again, taking my old, blood-stained sheets away and replacing them with clean ones.

"I'm in love." I rolled over onto my side, staring off dreamily. "That's why I have to hold on."

The Blissey smiled. "Oh, how cute. And such wonderful motivation, too." I nodded, but something didn't feel right. I put meaning behind those words, but it was almost as if my heart didn't agree. I was beginning to have doubts. Did I really love Blaze? Or…was I just filling in the hole left by Eddie's death?

I couldn't believe it. I had done the very same thing I promised myself I would never do. I succumbed to lust. I didn't really love Blaze; I was just clinging to the first escape I saw. I felt horrible. How could I confess to Blaze? From what I knew, he really _did_ love me.

I always seem to be in the toughest of situations.

Something shivered on the bed next to mine. I looked over my shoulder. It was the young Aipom. IT looked as though she was having a nightmare.

"So, why is she here?" I asked Blissey, nodding my head at the shaking Aipom.

"A traveler found her by the side of the road and brought her here. She was badly hurt." Blissey said sadly. "Apparently her trainer abused her, and then just left her to die on the side of the road." I watched Aipom for a minute. Poor little girl. I turned back to Blissey.

"That's horrible…" Blissey nodded, but gave me a strange look when she looked up at my face. "What is it?"

"Cici, you're eyes. They're…yellow." I blinked. What did that mean? My questions were answered when I felt a sharp stab of pain in my lower regions, near my stomach.

"Get Joy!" I shouted, doubling over. Blissey scurried off, returning a few moments later with Joy and Isabel.

"Phase four, no doubt about it." Joy nodded. She held out a hand. "Isabel, hand me that syringe, please." Isabel took a syringe form a small metal cabinet on the wall. She handed it to Joy. She filled it with some liquid and injected it into my arm. The pain dulled a bit, but I could still feel it. I could take it.

"What happens in this phase?" Isabel asked. She looked like she had been crying. I wish I was able to comfort her.

"The toxin appears in a random organ and starts making its way to the heart, shutting down every organ it passes through to get there. The jaundice leads to the conclusion that the toxin is in her liver." Joy said, scribbling things down on a clipboard. "It's safe to assume that the toxin's path will look something like this…" She showed the clipboard to Isabel. From the look on Isabel's face, I could tell it didn't look good. Well, it probably wasn't. There are a lot of body parts between the liver and heart. I could only imagine how bad this could turn out.

"Cici…" Isabel said, her voice trembling. She pulled me into a warm hug. "Cici, please know I love you dearly, but if your condition doesn't improve and Dad can't get here in time…" She didn't have to finish. It was obvious by the tears rolling down her face.

I was surprised at her lack of faith in Sam and Blaze. Didn't I have a say in this? If I was going to get put down, I wanted to at least get a few last words with Blaze! _Please don't take that away from me, Isabel,_ I thought, _I'll hold on as long as it takes!_

A sharp pain in my torso brought an abrupt end to my thoughts. I groaned, catching Joy's attention.

"Blissey, the syringe!" Joy called. The pain was even more intense this time. I could only guess why. The burning feeling spreading throughout my chest brought back awful memories of my time at Beyond.

"BLAZE!!" I cried out his name. I never felt so helpless. I never felt so alone.


	16. The Final Stretch

**A/N: Phew, we are in the final stretch, people!**

**Honestly, I think it's pretty sad to see the story coming to a close. I had a lot of fun writing; I hope you all had just as much fun reading it! So, here it is, please enjoy!**

**Blaze's PoV**

The rain wasn't going to clear up any time soon. It was freezing. I had completely lost all sensation in my feet and legs. The fire that usually burns within me was beginning to dwindle. I had trouble drawing breath, a combination of the scathingly cold air and my tired lungs.

I slipped in the slick mud of the road, landing flat on my face. The medicine bag flew from my mouth and landed by the side of the road. Despite my efforts, I couldn't stand up. I just didn't have the energy. So there I lay, exhausted, drenched, and, I realized, unable to use my fire. I strained harder and harder, but my muscles screamed in protest, refusing to budge. Suddenly, without warning, I received a sharp blow to the side. Groaning in pain, my eyes trailed upwards. It was the last person I wanted to see.

"Oh, lost your way, have you?" said Mightyena with mock concern. "Oh, what's this?" He picked up the medicine bag in his mouth. He must've noticed the expression on my face because he grinned.

"Is this yours? Mind if I borrow it?" I grunted, for lack of ability to form a sentence, in protest. Mightyena just grinned wider. "No, I insist. I'll just take this off your hands for you." He turned on his heels and took off.

In the direction that I just came from.

_Dammit, I don't have this kind of time!_, I thought angrily. At this rate, Christine would die before I got there!

This realization gave me a new strength I didn't know I had. I stood up slowly, carefully. My hind legs shook like jelly, but they held up. I turned and ran after Mightyena. I don't know if I was just faster, or if it was just my iron resolve, but I soon was just behind the dark Pokemon. I reached deep, deep into myself to find that inner fire within me, but the fire fizzled out the instant it left my mouth. Damn. It looks like I'll have to go about this the hard way. Mightyena, completely out of the blue, stopped, turned, and swept his dark claws in a wide arc in front of him.

The sudden attack caught me by surprise. The slash razed across my chest, creating four parallel lines of crimson. I ignored the pain, glaring at my foe. I had no idea what I would do. I couldn't use my fire, and I was far too tired to attack him head-on.

"Aw, what're you gonna do, huh? Cry over your dead little crush?" I was about to respond, but I froze. What did he just say? He couldn't mean…

"D-dead?" Mightyena nodded.

"You're too late, I'm afraid. Too bad. I hear she's a wonder in bed." The monster grinned slyly. My heart shattered. Christine…she couldn't be dead. She…she just _couldn't._

"No…you're lying!" I was shaking. I couldn't tell if it was from the cold or out of anger.

"Hmph. Believe what you want." Mightyena threw the medicine bag off to his side. His smug grin made my blood boil. I felt a powerful heat welling within my, growing more intense as my fury peaked. I could contain it no longer.

"You…you BASTARD!" I shouted, the searing heat coursing through me. I Released it, a wave of pure heat emanating from me that scorched the grass and evaporated the rain in the immediate area. The effect was amazing. Mightyena was blasted away, patches of his fur burned completely away. I stood there for a moment, breathing heavily, feeling the warmth drain from me. I could once again feel the cold, unforgiving sting of the rain.

"It doesn't change the inevitable…" Mightyena stood up slowly, on shaky legs. "You're too late. See for yourself." He turned and, limping heavily, strode off. At first I was half-tempted to chase after him, but I knew I had better things to do. I picked up the medicine bag in my teeth. After a short breather, I took off running again.

I knew in my heart that she was still alive. I just had to have faith.

----------

**Christine's PoV**

BEEEEEEEEEP!

The obnoxious noise woke me up. Phase four was not fun at all, but thankfully it was another relatively short one. It was perhaps another 30 minutes of needles and pain and Isabel worrying her head off. When it was all over, Joy suggested I get some rest while Isabel put her mind at ease. I Gladly obliged.

The first thing I noticed when I woke up, though, was that I didn't need to open my eyes. I must've slept with them open. But, then I heard a sob. Who was crying? From the corner of my eye I saw Isabel sitting at the foot of the bed. I moved to see what was wrong, but I couldn't move.

BEEEEEEEEEP!

What was going on? Why couldn't I move? I tried to speak, but no sound would come. I figured this must've been the fifth stage. Was it another full-body paralysis phase? Was it permanent? I would've shuddered at the thought if my muscles could have responded. That didn't explain why Isabel was crying, though.

BEEEEEEEEEP!

I was relieved when I found I could still move my eyes, albeit just a little. I saw the young Aipom in the bed next to mine staring back at me with big, sad eyes. Blissey seemed to be consoling the child, but I noticed her face was also stained by tears.

BEEEEEEEEEP!

Okay, that noise was beginning to piss me off. I wish someone would do something about it, whatever it was. What on earth could it have been? All the electricity was out; there shouldn't be any electronics working right now! The only exception was the few devices that ran on batteries: The clock on the wall, the tiny heater in the corner of the room, and…

My…my heart rate monitor.

Wait! I couldn't be dead! Could I?

No. There's no way I died! Not before Blaze got here!

"Cici…oh, I'm so sorry!" Isabel sobbed. This couldn't be happening. It was just a bad dream. Oh, someone notice I'm still alive! Someone check, at least!

"She…she's just sleeping, right?" the little Aipom asked Blissey. She sniffled.

"I'm afraid not, dear." She patted the head crestfallen child's head.

"Oh." Aipom said, downtrodden. Her eyes began to well up with tears. I had the sudden urge to hold her and tell her everything would be okay.

Oh, wait. I'm dead.

My mind raced with every possible explanation. Did the toxin finally best me? That's not fair! If I died in my sleep, I wouldn't have had a chance to fight back!

"Oh, Cici…" Isabel knelt down in front of my face, stroking me softly. She sniffed. "Blaze will be heartbroken…" This was a nightmare. It had to be. The question was driving me mad. Was I really dead? The evidence was overwhelming, and I don't think Isabel would've jumped to conclusions without checking first. I guess…I had to accept it.

_I'm sorry, Blaze. I waited for you as long as I could. But now I have to move on, and leave you behind…_

"What's going on?" Nurse Joy returned from wherever she had been, apparently.

"Joy! Cici, she's…she's…" Isabel was crying so hard, she couldn't finish her sentence. I saw Isabel step back as Joy took her place kneeling down in front of me. Joy placed a hand on my head, then felt for my heartbeat, and then for the pulse on the side of my neck. As she did this, Isabel watched with confusion.

"What are you doing?" Isabel asked the nurse. I was wondering the same thing. Joy waved a hand in front of my face.

"Hello, Cici. Don't worry, this is only temporary." Isabel looked completely lost and miserable.

"Joy! What…what are you?" Joy stood up, silencing Isabel. The nurse began scribbling on her clipboard again.

"Phase five." Joy commented, concentrating on her notes. "It means the toxin has reached her heart. It slows the heart's beating to the point where it feigns death." She hung the clipboard on the end of the bed. "In other words, it's not her time quite yet."

Isabel smiled, clapping her hands together. I noticed Aipom smile brightly at me.

"That's wonderful!" Isabel had such a look of relief, it was sad to see it disappear when she saw the serious look on Joy's face.

"You realize what this means…don't you?" Joy asked softly. Isabel shook her head. "Phase six is coming…perhaps…you would like to speak with Cici?"

Isabel nodded slowly. "Yes, I would like that…"

Joy nodded at Isabel. "Do what you think is best. Come on, Blissey." The nurse and the helper Pokemon disappeared out into the lobby. Isabel sat up on the bed and began to pet me slowly. She looked deep in thought. This continued for several minutes, until she spoke again.

"Cici…this is the hardest decision I've ever had to make. But…if Dad and Blaze don't get here soon, we're going to put you down." She looked away from me. I could tell she was barely able to say that last part without crying. She turned back to me, tears once again staining her face. "It's…what's best, right? I-I just don't want you to suffer, Cici." She sounded like she was trying to convince herself more than she was trying to convince me. She stayed there with me for several minutes. Slowly, but surely, the paralyzing in me faded. I lifted up my head, looking her straight in the eyes. She smiled and patted my head.

"Sorry, if I worried you, Cici. I'm sure they'll be here." Isabel sniffed and looked out the lone window above my bed. "I'm sure they'll be here."

----------

**Blaze's PoV**

I recognized this hill! It meant I was getting close! And, sure enough, just as I reached the top of the hill, I could just see the city's lights poking above the horizon.

I was so close! It wouldn't be long now; just another 20 minutes, at the most.

But…would I be too late? Was this all in vain? I took a quick breather, setting the bag down. I took the opportunity to look around me. Behind me the dirt road was nearly flooded by the heavy rain. No heading back that way. To the right was the entrance to the forest, spreading its vast, dark, foreboding shadow well beyond the horizon. In front of me I could see the lights glimmering from the tallest of the buildings, even through the rain. I was about to take off again, when I noticed what was off to my left. It was a field. A large, magnificent field full of trees and tall flowers, and a waterfall that cascaded down into the ocean.

It was a special place.

There was a secluded spot nestled near the waterfall, you see, where I had first professed my love to my first mate. I got lost in the torrent of nostalgia and sadness as I was stampeded by memories of those happier days. I would have to bring Christine here someday.

Which snapped me back to reality. I had a job to do! I picked up the bag and began to run north, away from this place of happiness and sorrow.

----------

**Christine's PoV**

Have you ever been in a situation where you were in so much pain, it overwhelmed you? As if it was suffocating you?

Well, I was living it. Times one thousand.

Joy explained that in this final stage, the toxin spread like wildfire into the lungs, and from there into the bloodstream. Then it travels through the bloodstream to the brain, where it kills its victim.

Al of this would be fascinating if it wasn't me it was hurting so damn much.

I just lay there, struggling and moaning in pain. It felt as if liquid fire flowed through my veins. Isabel looked miserable. She was sobbing, constantly telling me she was sorry.

Why was she so sorry all the time? Jeez.

Joy whispered something to Isabel's, who nodded and attempted to stifle a sob. Joy opened a cabinet on the wall and began searching, while Blissey and Isabel stood at either side of me.

"Hold her, please." Joy requested softly. Blissey and Isabel grabbed me and held me down. I could barely feel their touch; it felt…distant. I looked at Isabel with a look of sadness and confusion.

"I'm so sorry, Cici." she muttered, blinking tears from her eyes. I watched in fear as Joy approached me with a long syringe that I knew spelled my death.

I was saved by the lights.

In an instant, every light in the Pokemon Center came on. The machines began to go about their work. Isabel gasped.

"The power's back! Quick, hook Cici up to that machine!" she cried excitedly.

Joy shook her head. "At this point, it won't do any good. The toxin's progressed too far." Isabel gave a silent, 'No…', and slumped into a chair by the wall. The phone rang.

"I'll get it." Joy said quietly. She picked up the receiver and smiled. She handed it to Isabel. "Your father."

Isabel sprang up instantly, snatching the phone from Joy's fingers. "Hello?" she asked quickly. "What about the medicine bag? Are you almost here?" She listened for a moment, and her jaw practically hit the ground.

"What do you mean you haven't left yet?!"

My heart sunk. My last hopes had been shattered. I heard Isabel say, "And Blaze is what?...", but that was all I heard. I couldn't believe it. I was looking my death straight in the face.

Isabel hung up the phone. She looked up at Joy, looking even more miserable than before. Joy nodded. Isabel and Blissey grabbed me again, but this time I didn't offer any resistance. I was broken. Done. I quit.

But…then I felt it. I couldn't explain what it was, but I felt him. His presence. Blaze. Blaze was here! He was here, I could feel him!

I began to struggle against Blissey and Isabel's grips.

"She's panicking! Hold her down!" Joy shouted, alarmed. Blissey and Isabel forced me down harder.

"Cici, you'll hurt yourself! Please…stop…" Isabel's voice was pleading, but I couldn't stop! NOT with Blaze so close! I lashed out with my tail and almost knocked Joy to the ground. From the corner of my eye, I saw Aipom trembling beneath her blankets in fear.

Finally I broke fear of their grasp and leapt off the bed. Ignoring the searing pain throughout my body, I dashed out the door, through the lobby, and burst through the front door. The rain soaked me through in an instant, but I didn't care.

I could see a figure off in the distance, running towards me. Cold, wet, and still in pain, I laughed and ran towards Blaze. I hadn't taken two steps, however, when I toppled over as if someone had turned the world on its side.

On second thought, I was perfectly fine with waiting here in the mud, my breath coming in short and ragged.

"Christine!" Blaze shouted, running up to me. He set down the bag he was holding in his mouth and began to lick my face. "I was so worried…"

"Blaze!" It was Isabel, showing up with Joy. She spotted the medicine bag and knelt down, looking through it. She found a bottle and pulled the top off, tipping it to my mouth. My body reluctantly allowed the liquid into my body.

"Christine…please be okay…" Water was streaming down Blaze's face. Was it tears, or just the rain? I assumed that it was both.

"Don't cry, please. You're just making it harder." I whispered, closing my eyes. Several stressful minutes passed. I had passed the point of feeling the cold and wet of the rain. Everything was a big, run-on blur. Other than the world around me slowly slipping away, I felt no change. I didn't have the strength to open up my eyes again. I was perfectly content staying here…forever, if that was the case. Blaze's faintly muffled voice reverberated in my ears

"Christine? Christine?! No, no…CHRISTINE!"

Those were the last words I heard.


	17. A New Road

**A/N: Hey, thanks for all the comments. I do wish to point out, however, that at no point did I say that the previous chapter was the final one o_~**

**So, without further ado: the **_**real**_** final chapter! Enjoy.**

"_Ooh…It's beautiful…"_

"_I know…but not near as beautiful as you." The two figures sat watching the sun set over the sparkling amber sea. The first figure blushed._

"_Oh, quiet, you." The two stared at each other for several minutes. The silence was finally broken by the second one._

"_This moment couldn't be more perfect." He smiled._

"_Yeah." The first one nodded. The gentle evening breeze played with their fur. The first one smiled. "I love you, Blaze."_

"_I love you, too…Azmaria."_

----------

**Blaze's PoV**

I was startled awake by a loud _THUMP_. I looked around, trying to find the source. Isabel and I were staying at the Pokemon Center overnight, just as we had the last two nights. Sam would be arriving tomorrow.

I noticed some movement on the far side of the lobby, where we slept. Moving silently, I hopped off the round couch I was sleeping on and walked slowly across the room. I stopped a few feet from the door, just as it opened.

"You're not planning on leaving, are you?" The figure in the doorway froze and slowly turned to face me.

"Blaze…I have to go. I…I just have to go! I can't stay here." It was Christine.

"Christine, you're still recovering. Nothing could be so important that you need to-"

"But, Blaze! I need to go, please! It's for…personal reasons." I gave her a look. She sighed. "I need to find out more about Beyond. If I stay here, they may try to get me again, or worse, one of you! Please, this is for everyone's sake!" She looked at me with big, round eyes.

It was my turn to sigh, defeated. " …fine, but if you think you're going alone then you're insane."

"You mean you're coming with?" I nodded. Christine hesitated for a moment. "Alright…but give me a moment to say goodbye." She walked over to the Isabel, who had fallen asleep on the couch with Shadow and Rose in her lap. I saw Christine watch them all sadly for a moment. She murmured her goodbyes and licked the faces of her kits, the returned to me.

"Alright, let's go." she said without looking me in the face. This was hard for her. She had my sympathies. We left the Pokemon Center, ultimately leaving this life behind us for good.

----------

"Are you regretting your decision?" I asked her as we traveled down the very road I had run down just a few days ago.

"…no." I sensed some hesitation in her voice. It was to be understood, though. She was worried about Shadow and Rose. It couldn't have been easy to leave them all with only a goodbye. But, she thought it was what was best, so there was no stopping her now.

As we mulled it over, my admiration of Christine increased. This was an incredibly brave and thoughtful choice for her. She was still not in the best conditions to be traveling, though. The antidote completely flushed out the toxin, so she had healed quickly, but she still would never be perfect. The toxin had ravaged her internal organs; some to the point of no return. She had barely escaped with irreversible damage to her liver, lungs, and er…*ahem*…_female_ organs. Life would b a quite a bit harder, and she'd probably never be able to have children again. But, even with this in mind, she's lucky. It could have been much worse. It almost was.

Soon I began to hear the sound of rushing water. I smiled, remembering stopping here on my way to Sunpalm.

"Wait." I said. Christine stopped and turned to me.

"What is it?"

I grinned. "Follow me, for just a moment." I turned and headed off the road, into a small, barely noticeable path through a patch of trees. We followed the winding path for a few minutes, the sounds of water gradually getting louder.

"Where are we going?" I heard Christine ask.

"Here." I answered, stepping out of the patch of trees and onto a precipice overlooking the waterfall.

My secret, secluded spot.

From where we were standing, we could see a big field of flowers stretching out all around us. The sun was just dipping below the horizon, shining its golden reflection into the rolling surf. A gentle autumn breeze was blowing, carrying the smell of flowers and apples from the trees above us. Overall, the effect was amazing.

"Ooh…it's beautiful." Christine remarked in awe, her eyes wide open.

"I know." I nodded, "…but not near as beautiful as you."

Christine blushed. "Oh, quiet, you." I gazed deeply into her eyes. Though she was marveling at the scene, her face was unreadable. Her own gaze eventually met mine. We stared at each other for several minutes.

"This moment couldn't be more perfect." I smiled at her.

"Yeah…" she sounded unsure. The wind blew gently, ruffling her fur and sending a shower of pink flower petals raining down around us. The picture was all too perfect. She was so beautiful…

"I love you, Christine." I smiled at her again. I could've sworn I saw tears welling in her eyes. But…were they happy tears?

"Blaze, I…I just don't feel the same way." She hung her head.

"W-what?" I asked, dumbstruck. I didn't understand. She had said the exact same thing to me, hadn't she?

Christine turned her back to me. She was crying softly. "Blaze, I'm sorry. I…I only said those things because Eddie was gone. There was just a hole…and you were there, and I…" She sniffed. "P-please don't hate me."

Oh. I walked in front of her and wiped the tears from her face. "Christine, I could never hate you. I understand completely." After all, the same had happened to me, once upon a time.

Christine nodded. "You don't have to come with still, if you don't want to anymore."

"No, Christine." I shook my head. "You're not getting rid of me that easily. Besides, that's not the reason I wanted to come."

She still looked unconvinced. "So…you're okay with coming along? Even if I don't feel the same way about you?"

"There's still hope, right?" Christine nodded. I grinned. "Then I can wait…with a smile." This got the same reaction from Christine. It was the first genuine, happy smile I had seen from her in a while. She sniffed, lifting her head up.

"Thank you, Blaze." She kissed the side of my face, then turned to walk back down the path.

It was a start.


End file.
